Through His Eyes

Girls and Their Toys

2011-02-19T18:25:00.000-05:00

Ok, I'll admit it... I used to be one of those girls that just didn't understand the appeal of toys.... You know, the "boys and their toys" kind of toys. The ones with motors and tires and throttles. THOSE toys. But something has changed.... I own one of those toys. I see the appeal now. The appeal is GREAT.

The last three days of Spring-like weather threw me headlong into Spring fever, and surprisingly, not just for the warm weather, or the flip flops (shocking, I know), or the ability to wear skirts on a regular basis. I want to smell the exhaust of bikes and four wheelers, I want to hear the roar of the engines, and get on my own little yellow four wheeler and RIDE. Batman spent today changing the oil and the brakes to get it all up and ready. I. CANNOT. WAIT.

Dear Spring,

Please stop teasing us and just get here and STAY. I have sun to soak up, and skirts and flip flops to wear, and a four wheeler to drive.

Love,
me

Disappointments and Addictions

2011-01-26T12:57:00.000-05:00

Yes, I have been absent. For a very long time. I know. I do apologize, but will not start dishing out lame excuses. I just have been absent from this little blogging world. So absent, in fact, that Batman suggested the other day that perhaps I should just shut this page down. Oh no!! He is certain that no one reads this. I pointed out that we do still have seven followers. Whether said followers read, well, I can't attest to that, but, they are followers nonetheless. So, the page will remain. Fear not, you seven!!

Because of the ridiculously long absence from blog world, I feel like I don't know where to start. Oh, I have had PLENTY that I could have written... Thoughts, lessons, happenings... But I just... haven't. Plus, I'll admit, the world of Facebook makes it SO EASY to pop a quick thought in my status, and then move on. Not much time or thought or effort required.

Rather than trying to play catch up here, I'd rather just deal with my thoughts for today. Lately I have been dealing/struggling/whatever with my expectations and the many disappointments that we face in life. A person disappointing, or things not turning out the way it was expected, or things not happening fast enough, or at all. I realized, I have allowed disappointment to become an excuse for closing myself off from the things around me. I've allowed disappointment to steal joy. Uh oh. It's not about whether or not I am happy today, or the sun is shining, or things are all falling into place... Because, let's face it, there are days that are NOT happy, are NOT sunny, and things just don't seem to fall into place... according to OUR expectations. (Ok, maybe that should read "MY" instead, but I know there has to be at least one of you that gets that....) So why let it steal my JOY? Hmm... I think my answer is found in this devotional from earlier this month. The moment I read the first sentence, I laughed... and I cried....

ADDICTED

My kind relatives gave me a coffee maker for Christmas {my mother- and father-in-law REALLY did this year!! The first phrase had my attention!}, which is in one sense like giving a heroin addict a syringe and in another like giving a Christian a devotional book and saying, "Here, I know you're going to need this." (Hold on, cowboys: I don't use metaphors lightly.) {Second sentence, equally hooked... I could SO RELATE!!} My family knows I'm addicted to caffeine, which is clear when I go without it it for even one morning. I feel foggy and crabby and get a headache by mid-afternoon. If I'm traveling someplace where coffee isn't on hand for breakfast, it's something of a crisis until I find a drive-through Starbucks or whatever - and then of course there's always a long line of irritated junkies just like me. Sad, really. {I read this to Batman, and told him, "Hey, at least I'm not THAT bad!" He just looked at me. Maybe I am.}

The funny thing about it is I hated coffee for a long time and couldn't understand why people drank the stuff. {Yep, the writer is still referring to ME. I just KNOW it.} It's the kind of thing you have to develop a taste for. It doesn't come naturally, but then when it's finally part of your routine, you'll move mountains to get your hands on it. {Yup!!}

Kind of like spiritual life, when you think about it. We know it's important to spend time every day reading the Bible and praying, but it's not the kind of thing that comes easily to us at first. We have to develop a taste for it. But once we get in the habit of it, life feels out of sorts if we go without it for any length of time. We can't think straight. We feel crabby and start growling at the people we love. Then, when it finally occurs to us what the problem is, we wonder, How could such a tiny ritual be so important? And yet it is. We're not really content again until we've spent some time each day nurturing our spirits with the revitalizing presence of God.

What would happen if I got as addicted to God as I am to coffee? How can I move heaven and earth to carve out time for Him every day?

Psalm 63:1-5

~ The One Year Daily Grind by Sarah Arthur

Um, OUCH? Wonder if that might have something to do with that joy problem. Maybe if I was so addicted to God, disappointment of any sort wouldn't really matter. Because, disappointment IS a guarantee. People WILL let you down. Things will not always work out as planned. But God will never ever ever disappoint. No matter what. I think that is something I need to seal in my heart again.

November 9, 1996

2010-11-09T11:39:00.001-05:00

For most, it is just another normal day. For others, it is a day to rejoice in the birth of a new little one. Others yet may remember this day with sadness... perhaps someone was lost. For this girl, however, November 9, 1996 is a day of wonder and surprise and love.

*** CAUTION: Mush ahead. Proceed at your own risk. ***

You see, nine months earlier, I realized something... I was in love with my best friend. Trust me, I tried talking myself out of it... Problem number one, I had decided that I was done with guys... they were all jerks, they would only hurt you... Problem number two, he was five years older than me, and at a couple weeks shy of 17, that is a pretty big age gap. However, there was no talking myself out of it... I KNEW that someday, I would marry him.

On Saturday morning, Batman came to pick me up... We had plans to go hiking. After saying goodbye to my parents, we drove to G------ and parked at the trailhead. We walked down the trail into the gorge to the foot of a beautiful waterfall. There, he sat me down and proceeded to hike BACK up to the car. Someone "forgot the camera." Whether he ever actually brought down the camera, I don't know... I absolutely cannot remember. When he did return, he knelt in front of me, and held out a little black box. I remember thinking, "what on earth is he DOING?!?!" He opened the box, looked me in the eye, and asked, "E, will you be my princess forever?"

* Quick side note for anyone wondering why on earth I would think I am a princess... Read that question again. I'll wait. Ready? Good. Moving on.*

It took a moment for all of it to sink in. My initial split second thought was, "this must be fake, he's teasing me, this is just practice.....," but then reality set in... As much as reality can set in at that moment, anyhow. With tear filled eyes, I told him yes, with all my heart, I'd marry him.

That was fourteen years ago today. We've had our good times and our struggles, our sunny days and our dark nights. One thing that is certain: Batman, I love you with all my heart and I'd marry you all over again. Thanks for being a good man, a good husband and my best friend.

Train up a child....

2010-09-13T11:40:00.000-04:00

The Girl's Language work today had the following directions:

On a separate sheet of paper, use each of the following words in a declarative sentence:

princess
rose
wish
castle

For "princess"... (wait, I need a moment to compose myself and wipe the tear from my eye. I am SO PROUD......)

Ok... The Girl wrote:

"I am a princess."

Yes, my love, you are. I am so glad that all the girlie training is paying off. You are a girl after your momma's own heart. Would you like to go to the salon later? We could paint our nails this afternoon with matching colors if you'd like.....

Changing Seasons

2010-09-09T15:05:00.001-04:00

My house smells like cinnamon.

I know, that is a strange introduction after an absence nearly three months long. What can I say? I've been wrapped up in my love affair with summer - with the sun and the warmth, with flip flops and polka dots, with garden fresh veggies and all things grilled. Despite the love and enjoyment of this summer, I have to admit, every time I've looked at this page, I have had ZERO inspiration. Don't fret, I still have been stopping at your pages. I haven't been ignoring everything. :)

Now I am ready to settle back in, bake, soak in the heat from the wood stove, and find some inspiration to blog. Bean-bag school is in session and routine is back. All of us at the "Guthrie homestead" are looking forward to what is in store for us this season. What I heard from the littles today while they did school is perfect:

"But God's plans are not always the same as man's plans."

I'm glad His plans are not mine. He is far more creative and caring (and all knowing!!) than I am. Here's to new seasons, God's bigger plans, and the beauty of autumn.

I am...

2010-06-16T09:30:00.000-04:00

I am Batman's wife.
I am The Boy's and The Girl's mom.
I am an EMT.
I am F-town's ambulance captain.
I am a daughter.
I am a sister.
I am a best friend.
I am an aunt.
I am a girlie-girl.
I am my Daddy's child - the Father's little girl, apple of His eye.

Why isn't that last one first? Of the myriad of things that I identify myself as, why isn't the most important first on the list? Here's a story I can relate to, and maybe you can as well....

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." - Luke 10:38-42.

Martha spend so much time being a good hostess (another identifier I strive for) that she misses it, yet Mary sits at His feet. She laid everything else aside. God said that her time at His feet was NEEDED. It's not just something nice to do, it is a necessity. Priorities.

My heart wants to get it all lined up the right way, but my persistance to get it done? Well, that's not really my strong suit. I read Luke 11:9-13 - ask, SEEK, knock - then jumped up a couple verses and read. This is when I seemed to "get it" a little more. This clicked for some reason.

Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'

"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." - Luke 11:5-10

I say to my friends, "call me anytime you need me - even if it's the middle of the night!!" And I do mean it. Really. But, in all reality, they will probably have to be pretty persistent about it. They'll have to call at least twice. My phone is in the living room - far far away from my sleeping head so my brain cells don't fry, but close enough to hear through a sleep induced fog. Probably. So, this little excerpt in Luke about Friend A going to Friend B's house at midnight grabbed me. That act in itself is pretty persistent. I can't picture myself showing up on your doorstep at midnight needing something. Eight or nine o'clock and needing a place to crash, you bet! Midnight, not so much. BUT, if I did get that far, I imagine that I'd keep banging on the door til I got my answer, just like Friend A did on Friend B's door. And, "I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs." ... Immdediately following that verse is God's instruction to ask - keep asking, SEEK, by all means, keep seeking! Keep knocking. Persistence may not be everything, but it sure is a lot.

Did you screw up or falter today? Pick yourself back up, dust yourself off and keep seeking. He WILL be found. That much I do know. I am The Father's daughter, and I will seek Him.

Lesser Lovers

2010-06-08T09:39:00.000-04:00

Recently, God has been speaking to us about our time, our hearts, and our affections. A dear friend was in town and cautioned us about having "lesser lovers." Lesser lovers?!?! What?!

Reading, surfing the net (Facebooking!) racing, keeping "house", etc. - there is nothing wrong with any of these activities, but when they become more important than my time and relationship with God, they are out of order - they are lesser loves. Not one of them is even remotely as worthy as God, but taking my time and attention and affection nonetheless. This morning I picked up my devotions and read this:

Again

I've been reading through the book of judges - or rather, reading a chapter now and then as time and memory allow (you know how it goes) - and recently the opening line of chapter 13 got my attention: "Again the Israelites did evil in the Lord's sight..." It was the again that jumped out at me. Obviously there was a pattern developing there, but I'd been reading the book so slowly that I'd lost track of the thematic thread.

So, I skimmed back through Judges from the beginning and realized what I'd been missing was a phrase that's used over and over to introduce each new episode - "Again the Israelites did evil" (see Judges 3:7, 12; 4:1-2; 6:1; 10:6-8; etc.) - always paired with this curios little phrase: "So the Lord handed them over to [insert enemy here]." This is significant. The point isn't just that the Israelites kept messing up. The point is that every time they did, they lost their freedom.

How many agains are to be encountered in our lives? We turn away, and God steps in and helps us - He brings people into our lives who tell us the truth, for example - and for awhile we repent and attempt to get ourselves on track. But then the material attractions of the world glitter before our eyes, or we receive the attentions of popular people, and before long we are no long interested in spiritual things but start chasing after the things of this world. Again is a lifestyle, an ongoing pattern of resistance to the living God. And it's not without consequences: Sooner or later He turns us over to the things we crave. He hands us over to other masters who do not love us - to what we thought we wanted.

Are material possessions what you're chasing after? Fine, God says - I'll hand you over to those things until you're a modern-day slave trapped in bondage to credit card debt. Is it sexual pleasure that you crave? Okay, God says - I'll hand you over to every indulgence until you can no longer feel anything at all. Or what about romance? Sure, God says - I'll hand you over to another human being until you experience how similar love can be to hatred in the end. Is it popularity you want? Go for it, God says. I'll hand you over to your heroes until you can no longer speak or breath without needing their permission.

And so on and so forth. How many agains are they re to be in my life before I recognize my worthless idols for what they are?

Judges 13:1

Hmm... What in my life is a lesser lover? What is keeping me from taking that time with my King? What is my "again"? Am I so consumed throughout the week with making my house what I feel it should be? Cleaning, or laundry, or dishes, or school work? Other peoples children? Recouping from the weekend for the first half of the week and preparing for the weekend for the second half? What am I allowing to take precedence over that quiet time with the Father? My time to worship, to listen, to feed, to pray, to draw near to His heart?

I don't want any lesser loves in my life. I want "again" to cease being a lifestyle.

Breaking the Silence

2010-05-21T11:06:00.000-04:00

You might be wondering where on earth we have been, and even perhaps if we fell off completely. Fear not, we didn't. I've been right here all along, just feeling rather busy. I definitely have the post on what God has been teaching us all ready and written, but Batman said that it really would be better if our "story" was posted first... Then what God has been speaking would be more pertinent... Since this post hasn't been written and ready, I have to admit, I've been avoiding it. Well, no longer! Here I sit, in the quiet, worship music in the background, gathering my thoughts so you can be brought up to date.

It all started on a Friday evening... Friday, April 9, to be exact.... It went something like this:

Bruce - "Hey, there is a racetrack about an hour away from here. They have practice runs all day tomorrow. We should take the boys and see how they do."

Batman - "Yeah, why not? I'll go home and let the wife know and meet up with you in the morning to head up there."

Bruce - "Sweet. See you latta."

Batman (upon returning home, to me) - "Hey, Chub and I are going to take the Boy and the BFF racing tomorrow."

Me - "Oh, ok. How long will you be gone?"

Batman - "I dunno, probably all day."

Me - "That's fine. The Girl and I will be going with you. I refuse to sit home alone every weekend. I know this is just to check it out, but I know where it's going, and we are a family, so we go as a family."

Batman - "Ok, you can go. I'd rather have you with me anyway."

The next morning, we got up and while I gathered everything together at home, Batman ran downtown to do some errands. When he came home, he informed me that the Boy and the BFF had a sponsor. Wait, what?? They haven't even started yet! Cool, God!!! :D We finished packing up and away we went. The boys had a blast and decided that, yes, they did in fact want to start racing officially. We left Silver Springs and returned home, fell into bed, and awoke V.E.R.Y. E.A.R.L.Y. the next morning to return to Silver Springs by 7:00... AM... Ack!! We looked around at all the campers and decided that staying overnight in a camper really was the way to go... But we didn't have a camper.

That afternoon the brother was at the track watching the Boy race, and commented that we should get a camper. My response was along the lines of not being able to buy one, someone would have to have to give me one. Hear that, God? The next evening, I called him to tell him that in the morning I would be picking up my camper... that had been given to us. Hmmm.... Reason number 7,098,234,987,987,001 why I know God hears my every thought and word.

Batman has wanted to race all of his life, but his parents didn't have the money to put him in it. Since the Boy was an official racer, Batman was REALLY feeling the itch. He hopped on craigslist and found a motorcycle to race... The kid selling it was willing to trade it for a car. Batman had a car that he didn't need or use anymore... Hmmm..... They were in contact with each other and set up a time to meet. He loved the bike and the kid loved the car. Away we went with the bike in the back and we signed Batman up the following weekend.

In order to race, you need riding boots and jersey and pants and chest protector. A friend of ours handed Batman a jersey and pant set. (WHAT?!?!) We found boots and a chest protector for great prices (at first he was borrowing his cousin's). Our whole racing adventure has been a series of things just like that... Sometimes a very big deal to us, and other times something small yet still very tangible. Throughout this journey, we have prayed for God's guidance, direction, and protection, for Him to continue to open the doors if this was the right direction, and to shut it right down if it wasn't. It's good to know when you are on the right track. :)

Taking the Shot

2010-04-13T12:04:00.000-04:00

Here's a taste of our new life. The story will follow... Shortly. I promise. :)

The Girl's Observation of the Day

2010-04-07T17:18:00.000-04:00

While watching the new baby bunnies out the window with mommy, colors, sizes, and fuzziness levels were all noted. As the babies played and grazed next to their mommy, The Girl made this observation:

"That mommy bunny must have married a Wild One (bunny)."

Yes, dear girl, there are girls in the world that are inexplicably drawn to the Wild Ones. Bunnies included.

Climbing on top of the pile of straw

2010-03-31T23:46:00.002-04:00

When one straw falls on you, it is no big deal, but what about when the next one falls, and the next, and the next? Eventually, you can find yourself buried under a pile of straw. One piece is lightweight and small - no big deal, but if you don't brush off and essentially conquer that one piece as it falls, you have the possibility of being buried under it all. Once your are under the pile rather than on top of it, getting back on top can feel like such an insurmountable task. I know. I feel it all too often.

Thankfully, in this great big blog world, encouragement and helpful tools can be found. One blog-buddy has encouraged me and given me helpful tips and ideas, and kept me entertained as well with her own stories of KCF - otherwise known as Kitchen Combat Fatigue. Problem number one - I D.E.F.I.N.I.T.E.L.Y. had KCF. No doubt about it. I firmly believe that you don't have to be an expecting mom to get it. Not even a homeschooling mom. Hey, you probably don't even need to be a mom, or even a homemaker, or married to get Kitchen Combat Fatigue. I imagine that ANYONE that actually COOKS in their kitchen can easily get it. But enough about the requirements. I was worn out, frustrated and downright discouraged in my kitchen. I am not naive enough to think that as soon as our kitchen remodel project is finished, those frustrating feelings will magically disappear. I needed to reevaluate and reassess the goings-on in my kitchen.

Problem number two: I have such a hard time with jobs that you do once (yes, this is an issue in the kitchen as well, but for this part, we are covering the rest of the house), and then no later than the end of the day, you have to do the same job over! Solution one? Buy disposable clothes, and locate a self cleaning bathroom and a robot vacuum cleaner. Back to the real world, though. I am a person of FANTASTIC intentions and plans. Oh yes. I can make a list for anything, make a schedule and hang up a chart for anything, but if I am not remaining on TOP of the little pieces of straw, those lists, schedules and charts do me no good at all. I also have a very difficult time thinking OUTSIDE the box. I think that is why my schedules and plans and charts ALWAYS look the same and ALWAYS end up failing me. Or maybe I am failing them. I am great at the start, but then I falter. Hmm... What is that verse about running the race with perseverance? Yeah...

Spring cleaning "season" has helped me dig out from under the pile, but the last thing I want is Fall to roll around (or worse yet, next Spring) and some of those jobs that are done rarely are back on the list of things that REALLY need to get done, but I am frustrated because they R.E.A.L.L.Y. needed to get done a long time ago. I'd rather just stay consistent with all of it, but is cleaning my ENTIRE living room from the ceiling to the floor and EVERYTHING in-between every Monday really feasible? Not if I intend to cook, do dishes and laundry, and attend to school needs that day as well, it isn't. And I KNOW this, but really, I would LOVE to have my living room - and the dining room - be cleaned that way every single Monday. Then the bathroom on Tuesday, the kitchen on Wednesdays, bedrooms on Thursdays and the bathroom again on Friday. That isn't too much to require of myself, is it? Maybe not if it was a quick dust job, run the vacuum, and make sure everything is straightened, but, I tend to be an all or nothing person. We are either going 100mph or standing still - which is also something I need to work on - slow and steady wins that race. Because I can't keep up that schedule on my terms, I started looking around for not only encouragement because I was honestly feeling like such a failure as a wife and mom, but I needed ideas on how to fix it as well. One day I was visiting Sarah's page and came across her post on how she keeps a clean house. I followed the link she provided and went ahead and grabbed my very own Motivated Moms schedule. (See, I told you I'm a sucker for schedules.) Why did I grab yet ANOTHER schedule? Thinking Outside The Box, people out of the box. See, I can Spring Clean and organize and perfect like nobody's business, but keeping it all together and not getting discouraged or worn out with the day to day maintaining is where I lose it. This new perspective was part of what I needed. (You mean to tell me I don't have to clean the entire room that day? Really??)

The last problem? I'll admit it. Lack of sunshine. This girl desperately needs the sun, and by the time winter is winding down, a few good days of sunny, warm brightness do wonders for my winter blues funk.

So, here I am, on top of my pile of straw. I will continue to put one foot in front of the other, and with the help of The Son, I will "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let (me) run with perseverance the race marked out for (me)." ~ Hebrews 12:1

Adventures with The Boy

2010-03-22T11:32:00.000-04:00

Have I ever said life was dull? No? Didn't think so. Over the last week, the weather has been so accommodating, so The Boy has been able to take his motorcycle out and about. After returning home from a very nice afternoon spent with Grandma and Grandpa, the Aunt, Uncle and cousins and the other Uncles, The Boy got together with his counterpart to go riding. After all, racing season will be upon us soon (next month?!?) and the boys need to practice up.

Around and around they went, engines roaring. First one boy was in front, then the other, then back again. The Boy's best bud went through, then the best bud's cousin. We all looked back up the hill and waited. No Boy. I glanced toward the back of the hill where The Boy should have come down and then around and saw a red clad arm pop up. "He's down!" I cried to Batman. Immediately all the momma-bear instinct in me rose up, while the level head in Daddy instructed me to stay put. He was going for him. See, Daddy knows me all too well. He is completely aware of the fact that I am a competent EMT, but he also knows full well that when it comes to the littles, "Mommy" comes first, and there would be no such thing as a level head. I remained down at the house with our friend, staring up at the hill. M smiled and told me it was ok, Daddy and the Best Bud's daddy were up there. I quickly responded that was great, but it was completely against my nature to stay away. That's my baby up there! The Girl then piped up and informed me that The Boy isn't exactly a baby. Ah, to explain again that no matter how old they are, they will always be my babies and I will always love them and want to protect and shield them and make everything all right. She'll get it someday. :)

When the entourage made it's way down to the house, I pounced. I knew that Daddy had undoubtedly checked every single finger and toe and everything in between, but now it was my turn. After ensuring that nothing was broken, I pulled out the light and checked his eyes. Two beautiful brown eyes. Check. Pupils reacting and equal. Check. We said goodbye to the guys and took The Boy inside and deposited him on the couch.

Suddenly, he began repeating the same phrase OVER and OVER and OVER. We would tell him that he just told us that - ten times - and his response was, "oh, that is probably a problem." Pause. "I had a dream. It was all a dream." *deep breath in. and out.* Boy, you told us that. Ten seconds ago. "I did? I don't remember." Pause. "I had a dream..." Ack! To the car. We knew he had a concussion, but with the repetition, we weren't going to play around. Down to the ER we went. Again.

By the time we got down there, The Boy's head seemed to be on straight again, but getting checked out was still a good idea. Dr. R was on - the same one The Boy saw for his lip, so of course, he was immediately harassed. We promised that this time his helmet had been On. His. Head. The Boy was handed one of those very attractive ~~dresses~~ hospital gowns to wear for the duration. He was checked head to toe again and thumbs up were given. He looked fantastic and was sounding like himself again, but it was one of those "better safe than sorry deals." Afterbreaking his helmet, not remembering a good half-an-hour to forty-five minutes long chunk of time and repeating himself, a scan was definitely in order, so, we sat back to wait for the CAT scan tech.

While we waited, we finally got to the bottom of "the dream." It seems that a month ago or so, The Boy dreamt that he and the Best Bud were out riding and he wrecked and hurt his head. He said that right before he went up the hill, he remembered the dream, but thought that was a funny thing to remember - everything was fine. Hmm... Didn't we JUST talk about this in church that very day? Why, yes, we did! It's all about learning to listen (and follow) that still small voice. We told him that if something like that ever happened again, by all means, LISTEN! That was God speaking into his ear and warning him.

The tech came in and took The Boy away, and we waited. He was brought back ~~after what felt like hours~~ in short order. We were given two thumbs up once again, signed the release papers, and made our way home.

The results of the CAT scan?

Kitty says he's just fine. Incidentally, so do the doctors.

We kept him up until after two in the morning (not supposed to let them sleep for a few/several hours with a concussion), so this morning he is understandably tired.

Other than that, he is no worse for the wear and is ready to jump back on the bike. 'Atta boy. I guess. Helmet? Check. Riding boots? Check. Every.Single.Other. piece of riding equipment? Check. I know one mommy that is quite grateful for the hand of God and for helmets, chest protectors, neck braces, riding gloves, pants and boots. And for a level headed and caring daddy. And for the protecting hand of God. I mentioned that one already? Sorry, I figured it was worth mentioning again. :)

Thought for the day...

2010-03-21T08:57:00.000-04:00

"There is no one so good that he can save himself;
Neither is there any so bad that God cannot save him."

~ Unknown

I just realized...

2010-03-04T12:19:00.002-05:00

It's almost flip flop season!! :D (Yes, Eye, there IS a chick flail involved here.) Let me just say:

I ♥ FLIP FLOPS. Of every kind. Fancy flip flops, plain flip flops, flat flip flops, heeled flip flops (although, then I think they are technically called "thongs" but it's the same concept, so I love them.) Yes, I even have a flip flop charm necklace from Lia Sophia. I'll admit, Batman thought I'd lost it when I actually bought a flip flop charm, and lots of people see me wearing it, stop, stare, then ask, "um, are you REALLY wearing a single flip flop on a necklace?!" Yes, thankyouverymuch, I am. Other flip flop lovers see my flip flop necklace and appreciate it just as much as I do. Flip flops - my warm weather weakness. One of them, anyway.

I love flip flops. And Spring. And Summer. Very very very very much. Just in case you couldn't tell. I know, it is really cold out today, BUT the sun is shining so brightly and the sky is so blue and the clouds are so white and fluffy. The forecast for the weekend? Forty degrees (peeps from the South, don't say a word. This is the beginning of Spring. Forty is SIGNIFICANTLY nicer than ten. Just sayin'.) and SUNNY! It's officially Spring Cleaning season and I L.O.V.E. it! For now I'll only wear my flip flops inside, but it won't be long and they'll be on my feet every. single. day. Amen.

More Winter Fun

2010-03-02T11:52:00.000-05:00

Since we are surrounded by beautiful and enormous mounds of snow, I thought today would be the perfect day to post about Batman's ice races. Yes, I said ice races - for the three wheeler (or four wheeler or motorcycle, but since his baby is the three wheeler, that's what he races). Now, since I do my best to never even STEP on ice unless ice skates are on my feet (even then it isn't a pretty picture), the idea of RACING on the ice is a very foreign one to me. To Batman, though, it was something he looked forward to ALL. YEAR. LONG. Literally. As soon as we found out that they were being held on Superbowl Sunday this year (*ahem*, yes, I am playing catch-up, here), we called our friends and rearranged our Superbowl party schedule just a tad so he could still go. The littles and I packed up in the truck with him ~~at some ungodly hour~~ bright and early and away we went!

When we arrived, I was surprised at the number of people there and at the condition and quality of the place that we were at. We were in Podunk Wh---ville! Needless to say, for insurance purposes, we are now members of the Wh---ville Rod and Gun club. Huh. Batman says it would be a perfect place for a summer picnic with friends out by the pond/lake/marsh thing. I hold out that it is a little far from H--- and that we don't have any friends that live there, anyway. As far as using it for the gun club, um.... well.... it isn't like we can't just go out in our own back yard for some target practice. But whatever, I digress. Back to the ice races.

Batman had A BLAST, the kids thought it was terrific, and one of their favorite parts was watching the remote control cars race around the pond. Not kidding. They also loved watching all the vehicles with actual drivers, and the boys made plans to practice up on their motorcycles and enter the races with daddy next year. The Girl, however, held firm. She plans on standing at the edge and watching with mommy. Driving and slipping around in circles on the ice? No, thank you. Watch other ~~idiots~~ adventuresome people do so? Sounds like fun.

The Boy's bike comes home

2010-02-22T16:40:00.000-05:00

The Boy L.O.V.E.S. riding. Really, really loves it. He even dreams of racing someday. Mommy will be ~~hiding her eyes~~ supporting him the entire way. Both the Boy and the Girl very gratefully received new dirt bikes two years ago. The Girl is happily keeping hers for one more summer, but the time had come for the Boy to get an upgrade.

So, Mommy and Daddy packed up in the truck and made the trek to PA. Not, mind you, right over the border, PA, but deep into the underbelly of the backwoods, PA. Like, backwoods of Tennessee, underbelly of the backwoods. All of the houses that we saw were either in gated "communities" or had bleached out skulls over the doors. Literally. Upon seeing these... houses.... I realized that we had no cell phone coverage. At. All. It was a tiny bit nerve racking.

We finally made it to the house where we would be purchasing the Boy's new motorcycle, and I was pleasantly surprised and relieved! The owner was not at all like Michael Meyers after all!! *whew* He was, in fact, very kind and refined and definitely knew his motorcycle stuff. As an added bonus, there was not a single skull hanging anywhere on his house. Batman and the homeowner talked motorcycles and racing and motorcycles and racing and more motorcycles for a long time, then we loaded up the Boy's new ride in the back of the truck and headed out. On the way home, I realized we were in the Poconos.

*Note to self: DO. NOT, I repeat DO. NOT! EVER, under any circumstance, hop online and find a "nice cozy get-a-way" with one of those champagne glass hot tubs and heart shaped bed and tell yourself that it would be nice to rent it and go hide away with the hubby. DON'T DO IT.*

Hey, maybe those places really are a nice, romantic get-a-way, but my first impression of the Poconos wasn't fabulous, so I'd really rather just not go back. I'm just sayin'....

Back on the road, we started looking for gas stations with good prices and a snack. Spotting decent prices, we pulled in, filled up, and grabbed a picture or two of the bike so the Boy could enjoy it's journey home. Then, gas in the tank and snacks and coffee in hand, we were underway, headed home!

It was dark when we pulled in, but it didn't stop the Boy from flying out the door, up into the truck bed, and onto his motorcycle. Could you hear his delighted squeals at your house?? In the morning, the bike was brought in to warm up next to the wood stove (no, I am not kidding), where Crumb-Crumb checked it out, ensured that it was a Suzuki, and gave his approval. It was then taken back out, started up, and the boys gave it a spin. Approval ratings? Quite high. Mommy went out in the cold to watch him climb on, but ~~quickly retreated to the house so I didn't have to watch~~ remembered a few very important things that I had to do to get ready for our guests that would be arriving later that evening.

The bike is now home, the Boy has new boots and a chest protector to keep him safe (just so you know, that was Daddy's idea) and the special oil to mix with his gas has been ordered. All we need now is a warm day.

How does he love me? Let me count the ways....

2010-02-18T18:21:00.001-05:00

Batman is a great man. He is faithful, he is honest, he is trustworthy. He is a terrific father and he provides for us and cares for us. And let me just say, as husbands go.... W.O.W. Yep, he's pretty terrific.

This man can make me laugh like no other. Sometimes it's a giggle, sometimes a smile and a roll of the eyes, and sometimes the laughter is that deep-down, can't-stop-even-if-you-wanted-to belly laugh.

Batman makes me feel safe. I love the way my hand fits in his... Completely surrounded and covered. He makes me feel beautiful... That look in his eye and little smile he sends me, even when I feel rumpled and frumpy. I feel protected with him. I know that he always has my back and would do anything to make sure I'm safe. I love how tender he can be. People that know him some might scratch their heads at that one and question... Tender?? Absolutely. Time and a place for everything, and he absolutely can be tender, and it always makes me feel so cherished.

The one thing he always said he WOULDN'T do is dishes... He did so many when he was younger that he said he was DONE. That was one of the prerequisites for a wife. One that would do dishes and not consider it her hubby's job. Um... I'm a stay at home wife/mommy. Of course it's my job. But do you know what he is doing right now? I am curled up on the couch with the laptop and the flu (yay) - everything hurts. My fingers are moving and that is about it. He is in the kitchen doing dishes so that I don't have to. The one thing that makes him cringe he is in doing so that I can rest. It may seem like a small thing, but to me, that is huge. I never even asked. He just tucked me onto the couch and disappeared into the kitchen. Batman truly is a great hubby (he would be without the dishes thing, but seriously, that just earned him like a dozen gold stars!)

So, Batman, thank you. Thank you for your love and your tenderness and your humor and your hard work, and most of all today, for serving. I love you and appreciate you more than you can know. I am proud to be your wife.

Stalling and Gaining (Weeks four, five and six)

2010-02-17T21:10:00.000-05:00

Oh. Lord. Ack. Dear Father in Heaven, HELP. Amen. Let's just say the last three weeks have not exactly been... productive... in the weight LOSS department. If I was her, I'd get excited... She should now be ahead in the pound-for-pound challenge. By how much? Well, week four, I was at a stand still. Same with week five. Six, on the other hand.... Yeah...... Up 4.2 pounds. Grrrrrreeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaat. I'd love to say it is because we went out on a date. I'd love to attribute it to pizza. Or being tired. Or a multitude of other things. But I need to be real. Yes, those things happened, but I can't make excuses. Those things are just life. I need to be able to follow through even when "life" happens. Otherwise it will just be a yo-yo forever. So, back to square one. Twelve pounds to go. What do you think, E? Can you gain 12 in the next seven months? Ready, set, GO!

Catching up and such

2010-02-14T20:56:00.000-05:00

Once again, I've disappeared. Not for an insanely extended amount of time or anything, but long enough for Batman to begin to worry that all our faithful readers will disappear. Ha.

I've just been laying low for the last week or so, feeling very tired. And no, not because the pregnancy epidemic has spread to our house. Rest assured, it has not. I've just been quite pooped. A visit to the doctor (you know, that once-a-year kind. *shudder*) has verified that everything is hunky dory. Weight (*scoffs*), blood pressure, general health... And the normal blood work results to tell about cholesterol and all the other ~~nonsense~~ very important blood level readings - lovely. Every last one of them is lovely. Yay. So why I am so utterly exhausted is still in question. Answers will be forthcoming, soon, we hope.

In the meantime, what I really wanted to say was this:

I love my hubby. Now that I've said that, allow me to grant you a little window into why:

Growing up, my daddy not only showed my mom how much he loved her, he never hesitated to show me. I grew up with the knowledge that little girls (and grown-up ones, too) are to be cherished, and every Valentine's Day, my dad would do something special for me. The most memorable Valentine's Day for me is February 14, 1997, just four months and three weeks before our wedding. My dad came in to the house and gave me a bouquet of flowers (don't worry, mom got one, too, and hers were always bigger ;) ). I remember tears in his eyes. I know there were tears in mine. He gave me my flowers and told him they would be his last Valentine's Day present to me. The next year my husband would get to take over.

Batman has done a great job. Not only does he shower me with love, but he has carried on the tradition of showering that love on his own daughter as well. I firmly believe that a large chunk of a little girl's feelings of self-worth stem from her relationship with her daddy. I am so thankful that my little girl is cherished by hers. Both The Girl and I are immensely grateful that Batman knows the way to our hearts.

One for each of us. He's a great man, I tell ya. No, I'm not sharing. Well, ok, maybe just one.

What I WILL share is this: a post about another race, one about the adventures of a motorcycle, a weigh-in, even though I'd really rather not, and maybe a few others. Stay tuned! I will be back! :)

What is that sound?

2010-02-02T23:49:00.002-05:00

A few days ago, I was driving down the road with The Girl and The Baby. I had errands to run and couldn't very well leave The Baby at home, so he had to tag along. For the sake of a quick trip, The Girl joined us so she could sit in the van and occupy The Baby while I ran into the bank. As I drove, I heard the sweetest little baby belly laugh. Every parent and big sister or brother or aunt or uncle out there knows the one. That darling, infectious, innocent laugh. All The Girl was doing was playing peek-a-boo with The Baby, but he loved it, and giggled with pleasure.

Today while visiting my parents, we were all in the kitchen talking about a kitchen.... mishap... and the laughter started. Something silly and random was said, and the three of us just laughed and laughed.

This laughter prompted a thought: How much laughter is in your home? Is laughter a normal sound or is it foreign to your ears? I realized how important laughter is and how, sometimes, we might take it for granted. Laugh a little today, even at the simplest and smallest things. While you laugh, remember the Source of our joy. Even in the midst of a tough day, we have that joy and laughter. Remember, the joy of the Lord is our strength.

Psalm 126:1-3

A song of ascents.

When the LORD brought back the captives to [a] Zion,
we were like men who dreamed. [b]
Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
The LORD has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.

Job 8:20-22 (New International Version)

"Surely God does not reject a blameless man
or strengthen the hands of evildoers.
He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
and your lips with shouts of joy.
Your enemies will be clothed in shame,
and the tents of the wicked will be no more."

Excuse me, sir, have you been taking any recreational drugs?

2010-01-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

What that really means is, "dude, are you HIGH?!" On the ambulance, that is not a question I particularly love asking. At home one day, though, I didn't even need to ask...

I could see the evidence. Toys were strewn everywhere. The sound of thundering feet tearing through the house could be heard. Even a few branches had been broken off of my palm tree.

When I finally caught up to him, I could see it. His little eyes were dialated. He was breathing fast and hard and could barely sit still. Then and there, I knew the answer......

He had been into the catnip.

Progress Report (Weeks two and three)

2010-01-27T11:05:00.000-05:00

Just in case any of you noticed that I didn't post anything on this last week, take heart: I did not quit. :) Last week I was pretty much in hiding due to being sick and very worn down. Posting anything just was not on my list of things to do. I also ended up moving the "official weigh in day" from Mondays to Wednesdays. I've noticed weekends are not so great, and when I first started counting points, I actually started on a Wednesday, and it went SO. MUCH. BETTER. Monday and Tuesday allow me to recoup from the weekend.

Last Wednesday I weighed in 2.6 pounds down. Yay! For the most part I drank my water, although, I'll admit, with a very sore throat, the thought of drinking anything wasn't a pleasant one. Most of my water intake was probably in the form of Theraflu. *shudder* Exercise? Hahahahahahahahaha- oh. Extending the week by two days actually allowed me to get four workouts in. Also not bad considering.

This week I am down 1.6 pounds. I'm noticing a pattern here: Week one was 3.6, week two, 2.6. week three, 1.6. Time to break the cycle. A 0.6 pound weight loss for next week just WILL NOT be acceptable. :) As far as inches lost, I have no idea what last week was, but since the last check in with you guys, I've lost a total of two and a quarter inches. Slow and steady, wins the race, right?

How would I rate the success of this week(s)? Gotta admit, I'm sticking with that 5. I'm still not mastering exercising five times a week, and I definitely need to! I also need to get back on track with drinking two FULL Nalgenes a day. I did find some great songs for my iPod, though, and good tunes are a must! Last night while I was sweating my ~~over-sized~~ little hiney off, I was transported away to memories of being a love-struck teenager holed up in my room... What was playing on the iPod? The Best of Rock Ballads. Absolutely classic. Not exactly get-your-blood-pumping-workout-music, but great tunes, nonetheless. What amused me more was talking to Batman and discovering that I knew more of the songs than he did! How did that happen?!?! I'm certain that all of those songs were more from when he was a teen than when I was.... Hmm....

A Little Me Time

2010-01-26T17:57:00.001-05:00

It's three o'clock, the dishes are done, the house is clean, the bedroom is spotless - even the bed is made! (Sad to say, on a day that I don't have "off" the bed doesn't get made before Baby leaves... By the time Batman gets up, it's time for Baby to lay down, so... yeah....). The original plan for this day off was to head to W-ville today, but, The Boy wasn't ready for travel and a day away from home yet (another story for another day... perhaps when prettier "after" pictures could be posted with the original "not-so-good-when-it-happened" pictures.) Anyway, since we didn't travel to W-ville with Batman today, I was able to accomplish all of the normal day activities. A mug of coffee poured, I ventured out to the mailbox to find:

IT CAME IN!! YAY!! :D

Now I am off, mug of coffee in hand, to curl up in the rocker in said clean bedroom (kinda hard to curl up in the rocker if the extra pillows are on it when the bed isn't made...) and spend some refreshing quiet time. Just for me and God.

I've Been Slapped

2010-01-25T14:46:00.000-05:00

Recently I came across a devotional on All You Have to Give. Fascinated by what Lori had to say about it, I opened up the excerpt she had at the bottom of her post. And I was sucked in. I'm great at starting, I'll admit it, but oh, the follow-through... It gets me every time. What makes this time different? I don't know. I do know I'll keep plugging away until I get it right.

The same day I saw it on Lori's page, I went on various sites and found my very own copy for just a couple bucks (yep, you read that right!!), including shipping. Each day I pop back over to Lori's page, open the excerpt and read the next day's (or two) devotional, while I am impatiently waiting for my own to arrive via media mail. What I read today struck such a chord with me, that I thought I'd share it with all of you. A little food for thought. While you are reading, I think I am going to go carve out some time for Him.

(Excerpt taken from The One Year Daily Grind by Sarah Arthur)

JANUARY 5
Addicted

My kind relatives gave me a coffeemaker for Christmas, which is in one sense like giving a
heroin addict a syringe and in another like giving a Christian a devotional book and saying,
“Here, I know you’re gonna need this.” (Hold on, cowboys: I don’t use metaphors lightly.)
My family knows I’m addicted to caffeine, which is clear when I go without it for even
one morning. I feel foggy and crabby and get a headache by midafternoon. If I’m traveling
someplace where coffee isn’t on hand for breakfast, it’s something of a crisis until I find a
drive-through Starbucks or whatever—and then of course there’s always a long line of irritated
junkies just like me. Sad, really.

The funny thing about it is I hated coffee for a long time and couldn’t understand
why people drank the stuff. It’s the kind of thing you have to develop a taste for. It doesn’t
come naturally, but then when it’s finally part of your routine, you’ll move mountains to
get your hands on it.

Kind of like the spiritual life, when you think about it. We know it’s important to
spend time every day reading the Bible and praying, but it’s not the kind of thing that
comes easily to us at first. We have to develop a taste for it. But once we get in the habit
of it, life feels out of sorts if we go without it for any length of time. We can’t think
straight. We feel crabby and start growling at the people we love. Then when it finally
occurs to us what the problem is, we wonder, How could such a tiny ritual be so important?
And yet it is. We’re not really content again until we’ve spent some time each day
nurturing our spirits with the revitalizing presence of God.
What would happen if I got as addicted to God as I am to coffee? How can I move
heaven and earth to carve out time for him every day?
Psalm 63:1-5

How To Tutorial

2010-01-23T13:13:00.005-05:00

Recently, it has come to my attention that I have readers that I didn't know I had... How cool!! That got me thinking... how many more are out there that I don't know about? So, I turned to my stat counter (I had ignored it for MONTHS) and realized there are quite a few of you lurking out there... checking in, reading all of the nonsense posts that I write, and then disappearing again. There are some of you that leave me an occasional note on the sidebar, and I have to say, I love those little notes!! :) Keep 'em coming!! But, do you want to know what every blogging girl L.O.V.E.S?? I'll tell you.....

COMMENTS!!

♥

Comments!!

Really, I do!!

You see, when no one comments on a post (or, only a daddy, a cousin and a sister-in-law do comment), a blogging girl can feel a bit like maybe she is just talking to herself. I'm just sayin'... Really. So, since I see you lurking out there, I thought I'd give you a tutorial on how to leave a comment, because, just maybe, you didn't know that you COULD leave comments on the posts. Maybe.

First, read the post. That's easy. You should have that part down by now.
Next, at the bottom of the post, you should see a line that says "X people have left their two cents." That is a link. Click it!! The link takes you to the little comment window. There you can leave your comments for this blogging girl to read so she no longer feels like she's talking to herself.
After you write your comment in the box, choose your identity.
Last, type the letters you see in the verification box and hit the "publish your comment button."

It's as simple as that!! :) Happy reading and commenting, everyone! :)

Three Wheeler Races (or "How to Catch a Cold")

2010-01-22T10:48:00.004-05:00

Saturday morning dawned gray, cold, and misty. And early. VERY early. Much earlier than this girl likes to get up on a Saturday morning. (I have mentioned it was early, right? Oh yeah, and cold.) Our alarms went off, I whimpered, then I whined, while Batman bounded from bed. Well, it seemed like he bounded, anyway. Grudgingly, I crawled from bed and shuffled into the littles' rooms to wake them up. With a stretch from each of them, they bounced out of their own beds and hurried to get dressed, chattering excitedly about the races to come. How these three could be so chipper was beyond me, especially since any other morning they would be just as bleary-eyed and cranky as I was. (It could have had something to do with the fact that we were called out in the middle of the night, so ambulance duty sucked about three and a half hours of my night from me, but I don't know....)

After layering on as many clothes as I could find and ensuring that the kids did the same, we were off to meet Batman's cousins one road over. All the three wheelers and snowmobiles were loaded in the trailer, so away we went - to the gas station down the road. Tanks of gas, a couple full throttles and bags of chips later, we were off again. This time ensuring that the trailer doors were secured. We made it to the next town over to meet the rest of our group, although this time we were following a "truck driver who knows where he's going." Right. Several wrong turns later, we jumped back into the lead, followed the advice of our handy dandy GPS, had to turn around once, then F.I.N.A.L.L.Y made it there... With an hour to spare. The boys unloaded their rides and got themselves registered and were off to play. They needed to see whose ride did what. Not that they didn't already know, but maybe Pennsylvania snow is different than New York's. Hey, you never know....

The races finally began, and we all watched as many snowmobiles raced and were either finished, or moved on to the next bracket. Then, it was THEIR turn.... With engines revving, the boys readied to race down the now muddy track. Batman won the first two races, giving his cousins their first strikes each. Then the cousins raced each other, so one was out... He'd been eliminated twice, so he was done. Batman and his same-named cousin were up against each other again. This time, Batman lost. Back around they went, with the end result being a tie. The crowd was in an uproar. Ties were NOT what they were there to see. By now, they were in a frenzy and ready to see someone get creamed! The announcer called Batman and cousin back around once more, and this time, the cousin won. Batman says that the cousin's two-stroke 250 something three wheeler is much nastier than his own four-stroke 350X. I just nod and pretend I get it when they start talking that language.

All the races were finished, and it was time to hand out trophies. We dutifully clapped and cheered for all the winners of the different snowmobile classes, and then, the three wheeler class was called. All of us were patting the cousin on the back and congratulating him... He had won fair and square. But then the announcer surprised us! He called both Mr. Smith and Mr. Guthrie up. There was hand shaking all around and the cousins beamed at each other, both holding their own trophy.

It was time to load up and head for home. We'd been in the cold Pennsylvania outdoors for about seven hours. Remember, it was COLD. And wet. But mostly cold. The next day dawned to a sniffling Batman. A couple days later, I started sniffling. I'm pretty sure Batman thinks that the races were worth it, though.

Hmm....

2010-01-18T16:56:00.000-05:00

Good timing, maybe?

So, lately, God has really been speaking to me about my place and position in our home, and my attitude towards it. I so desperately want to be a Proverbs 31 wife, mother, and child of God, but SO OFTEN feel myself falling way below the mark. Maybe some of you feel the same. I had to smile when I popped over to a friend's blog to see what she had to offer for the day, and I read about this giveaway. Knowing that this book would be encouragement in the right direction for how God has been speaking to me prompted me to immediately go sign up! Now I'm giving you guys (well, girls) the same opportunity. :) Go on over to Passionate Homemaking to see the giveaway for yourself, and sign up if you're interested.

In the meantime, I'll keep running after the prize, and continue to serve my family as an act of worship. Someday I'll get it just right. :)

Window With a View

2010-01-14T14:55:00.000-05:00

Being part of a homeschooling family allows me a view into my children that unfortunately, many parents don't have. Or, at least, they don't have as much of that particular view.

Today awarded a glimpse of a variety of facets of both of the kids.

Glimpse one:

My kids get ambitious when it is a bright, cheerful day outside. Today's example, The Boy decided he wanted to rearrange his room... I mean REALLY rearrange... as in, move his bunk beds, empty the entire room, clean top to bottom and put everything back in completely different places - rearrange. So, being the opportunity grabbing mom that I am, I said, "sure! But you need to get daddy's tape measure and measure everything first, then plan out where you are going to put it!" Math class? You better believe it!

Glimpse two:

The Boy gets just as frustrated when he is moving heavy furniture as mommy does. Instinct was to jump up and help them, but I held back, remembering that, as they get older, they have to learn to do things by themselves. I waited patiently for them to come tearing into the living room and ask for assistance from mommy's muscles. The request never came. I think they are growing up.

Glimpse three:

The Girl is a planner and a list maker (not unlike mommy at all). Not only did she draw detailed plans for The Boy's new arrangements, but later she began making plans for summer vacation (already?!?). Next thing I knew, she was presenting me with a list of her plans:

1. Go camping with Bud.
2. Go swimming with Bud.
3. Ride dirt bikes with Bud.
4. Climb trees with Bud.
5. Go jumping on the trampoline with Bud.
6. Play army with Bud.
7. Have squirt gun fights with Bud.
8. Go to the woods with Bud.
9. Go to the gravel pit with Bud.
10. Water slide with Bud.

I noticed a couple things in this list. One, she plans on spending a lot of time outdoors. Hurray. Two, she seems to adore her brother. Double yay! Even better, The Boy approved of said list.

So Tired

2010-01-13T19:57:00.001-05:00

This week we have been on a full fledged "days" schedule, rather than me being on a days into nights schedule, while the rest of the family is on a nights schedule. Batman has been on days this week, so we've all been up early... I've even been up early enough to get my workouts in BEFORE the baby shows up! Now THAT is impressive.

BUT, sad to say, this new schedule has definitely taken it's toll. For instance, one morning The Girl groggily got up, grabbed her book for reading, and went to the recliner. A few minutes later, I rounded the corner to find her diligently ~~reading~~ sleeping.

Getting up at seven in the morning is rather tiring for a little girl.

At the End of Week One

2010-01-11T15:02:00.000-05:00

It has been one week since I started counting points officially enough to share it with you guys again, and progress has been made. Not as much as I was hoping for, but it is still a good start. I will admit that I slipped.... That's right, I hopped on the scale before this morning. *sigh* What can I say, maybe I'm a scale-aholic.... Because I checked before the "official weigh in," I know that I one point (Friday) I was down five pounds. Yup, F.I.V.E. Needless to say, after this weekend, I was NOT down five. My official count is down 3.6 pounds and 1 3/4 inches. Eh. I'll take it.

I was somewhat disappointed in the amount of workouts I was able to get in, but, with the way the week went, three might not be so bad. My goal is to get five in, though. Hubby fixed the Bowflex last night, so I don't need to wait on that, and the elliptical is, of course, always available. I'd like to do three on one, two on the other. I think persistence will be key there. On an up note, I did VERY well drinking water this week! Aside from Saturday, I think I consistently went through two to two-and-a-half Nalgene's a day. EXCELLENT for me!! (Normally I drink ONE glass a day... if that. Not much of a drinker... working on changing that.) Towards the end of the week, I found my body actually craving the water. Yahoo!!

One thing I definitely will be mindful of from now on is to make sure that we do not eat or snack right before bed. Aside from obliterating my points on Saturday (road trip food will do it every time!) we ate right before we went to bed Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and I noticed huge issues there. (Almost two pounds worth... Ack.)

The handy dandy points tracker has a spot at the end where you record your weigh in, and asks "on a scale of one to ten, how would you score your success this week?" I'll give it a five.

See You Later

2010-01-10T13:02:00.000-05:00

No one is ever ready to say goodbye, I don't think, especially when it wasn't a planned goodbye. I am still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that "goodbye" needed to be said at all.

How do you say goodbye to a friend that would motivate you, straighten you out, push you, and tell it to you like it really is? How do you say goodbye to a friend that fought for you, prayed for you, stormed Heaven's gates for you? How do you say goodbye to a friend that held your husband accountable and who was held accountable by your husband? I don't know... I haven't really figured it out yet.

Jim, you were an amazing person. You were a true warrior for God. When you set your sights on something, you ran for it, no matter what. You always called at just the right time, with a word of encouragement or, shall we say, motivation. You believed with us for what many would say is impossible, and you prayed daily for it, and for us. Yesterday, someone said that everything you did and were about was over the top. It was so true! Your personality and presence would fill a room as soon as you walked in. You motivated to the fullest, encouraged to the fullest, pushed to the fullest, and you definitely would never take any crap. You'd call us up and ask if we've been doing what we are supposed to be doing - whether spiritual or physical - and just as soon as the "uh..." would come out of my mouth, your response was "don't even give me any of that! I already know the answer already! Get on the ball!" I've already found myself jumping off the elliptical in a tired, panting mess, thinking, "wait til I tell Jim I actually got back on it!" Then I remembered I can't.

If anything, your death has caused us to step it up a little, to be more serious about doing what we are supposed to, what we are called to, what is good for us, what is right, because, as this week has proved, you just never know... So, Jim, thank you for the mark that you left on my family's life. None of us will ever be the same. We will push a little harder, fight for what is right with a little more passion, storm Heaven's gates a little more faithfully. I won't say goodbye, but "see you later" instead.

The Desert

2010-01-07T22:05:00.010-05:00

There are moments, days, weeks, maybe that feel like a barren desert. There are times when it seems like every single thing is crashing down around, that everything is against you. Then there are times high on the mountain top, when everything can be seen clearly. No matter what time, what season, what situation, I still cling to the knowledge and the hope that He is still God. Always in control. Holding me in the pain, carrying me through the hard times, and laughing with me through the good times.

Desert Song
(Hillsong United)

This is my prayer in the desert

When all that's within me feels dry

This is my prayer in my hunger and need

My God is the God who provides

And this is my prayer in the fire

In weakness or trial or pain

There is a faith proved

Of more worth than gold

So refine me Lord through the flames

And I will bring praise

I will bring praise

No weapon formed against me shall remain

I will rejoice

I will declare

God is my victory and He is here

This is my prayer in the battle

When triumph is still on it's way

I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ

So firm on His promise I'll stand

And I will bring praise

I will bring praise

No weapon formed against me shall remain

I will rejoice

I will declare

God is my victory and He is here

All of my life

In every season

You are still God

I have a reason to sing

I have a reason to worship

This is my prayer in the harvest

When favor and providence flow

I know I'm filled to be emptied again

The seed I've received I will sow

Today I declare that I WILL bring praise. I WILL rejoice. God is still God and I will always have a reason to sing and to worship.

Well, it's that time of year again....

2010-01-04T10:38:00.002-05:00

... You know the time... Resolutions, a time to make changes, a purging, if you will. Out with the old and in with the new. There is a bit of that going on in our household as well. Not so much "resolutions," but definitely changes being made and, I'd like to think, some purging. BUT, there will be more on that later.

Today isn't really about "in with the new," but rather a reinstating of something old. Yep, after a six month stint on birth control (gotta love those automatic ten pounds) and the holiday EATING season, I am staring an extra 15 pounds full in the face. And belly. And hips. Oh yeah, and thighs. Sigh. Stupid scale.

Time to count points again. And this guy has the right idea. At least part of it.

Last time I was counting points, using a smaller plate was actually one of the tricks I utilized. Portion control is significantly easier if your plate doesn't look empty. Batman is forever telling me to stop feeding him so much in his lunch. It's mental. I feel like I need to fill his containers. Just like most people need to fill their plate. His solution? He got me smaller containers for Christmas. :) (Ah, but that is part of that other post...) So, today I start over. Smaller plates, check.

Points counter, check. Measuring tape, check. Handy dandy points tracker that the sil/bf sent me last time I was counting, check.

A resolution? Hmm... Perhaps I should resolve to stay off the scale until next Monday morning. So far, so good. Yes, I am fully aware that it has only been an hour. Yes, I think I can do it.

Ta ta for now. I am off to see if I've lost anything by being good for breakf...... Oh. Shoot. Avoiding the scale may be harder than I thought.

"No, Mom, I'm not.....

2010-01-02T08:32:00.004-05:00

...tired!" were the words flowing insistently from The Beloved Boy's mouth one day shortly before Christmas. His level of rest was of great concern to me because we had an appointment at the local picture studio later that day. You know, the professional kind that makes all mothers, mothers-in-law, grandma's, grandmothers-in-law, etc. happy.... The ones that we don't do very often. I am more apt to be the type to grab our camera, have fun with the littles for a bit, then choose some great shots, print them off and frame them. Well, we won't discuss how long it had been since the littles had actually had their pictures "professionally" done, but let's just say that it had been a while.... Ok, a long while.

Outfits had been chosen, tears had been shed, I had been questioned on why a child can't wear their favorite jeans, regardless of the holes or the stains, or why not this shirt?! Why do I really need to match her?!? *Sigh.* "BECAUSE! I SAID SO!!"

Children were nestled in their beds at a reasonable hour, though not necessarily sleeping, mind you.... And visions of black eyes, missing teeth, disastrous hair and other picture-day catastrophes danced in my head. Finally, the house was quiet and all were asleep. We hoped.

When I woke up, I tiptoed out to the living room and was greeted by a big surprise! A surprise about the size and shape of an eleven year old boy informing said surprised mommy that he had been up since 4:00 am. WHAT?!?! WHY?! "I don't know, I just couldn't sleep. Don't worry mom, I'm not tired." Right. If he wasn't tired, that very pale face and raccoon eye syndrome was REALLY confusing me.

"That's nice, dear Boy, you ARE taking a nap this morning."

"But, mom-"

"No buts, Buddy... There is no way on God's green earth that you are NOT taking a nap!"

"But, mom, I-"

"Don't care. You. Are. Taking. A. Nap."

"But, mom! I can't sleep during the day!"

"Try."

"But, mom-"

"Try. Now. End. Of. Discussion." And I walked out of the room. About one minute later, I returned to find this:

Nope, not tired at all. I can't imagine what I had been thinking, insisting that he take a nap. I left the room (after snapping the above picture, of course) and came back a little later to find this:

Looks like he had been tired to me! Then, I glanced at his sleeping form a little closer. On that pale cheek was a long, bright red scratch!! *sigh* How much of a nap would it take to make THAT disappear?! I think this is why we don't get them "professionally" done.

The Ornamental Mystery

2009-12-21T18:23:00.003-05:00

One morning, I woke up and made my way to the living room to ready for the baby's arrival. Laying on the couch was a handmade dove ornament from the tree. Odd, I thought. I was quite sure that our ornaments did not have the capability of flying off the tree on there own, but I had other things on my mind, so I replaced the dove and carried on. A little later, I was sitting in the recliner, enjoying a hot cup of coffee, and I glanced over at the tree. What did I find but an empty socket on the strand of lights!! DEFINITELY odd. I KNOW that our lights do not get up in the middle of the night and hop off the tree. I looked around the tree to see if I could figure out what was going on and discovered the runaway light bulb and a couple more ornaments hiding on the floor under the tree. WHAT had gotten into my Christmas decorations??

Suddenly, a small orange thing jumped out at me from under the tree... The cat! Crumb-Crumb found many fun playthings on the Christmas tree and began removing lights and ornaments for his entertainment. I shook my head and put the tree back together, and later caught him playing with the red ball by the formerly missing light bulb. *sigh*

*disclaimer: No ornaments or Christmas lights were harmed in the (still) filming of this post.

♪♫ Making a List, and Checking Things Off ♫♪

2009-12-17T11:09:00.004-05:00

Remember that list of things to do? The one that came with the reminder to enjoy the relationships and Reason rather than get bogged down in the project? Well.... I'm here to tell you, I am making PROGRESS!! Hip, hip, HURRAY!! Look what I've accomplished so far:

♦ Cookies:

◊ ~~Grandma’s press cookies~~
◊ ~~Chocolate peppermint cookies~~
◊ ~~Peanut butter blossoms~~ (We ate all the ones that mom sent home on Friday. Yes, we’re lushes sometimes. Yes, they were very tasty.)

◊ ~~Saltine Cracker Toffee Bars~~ (definitely on the permanent list!!)
◊ ~~ANOTHER batch of Mrs. O’s sugar cookies. VERY important~~

◊ Decorate sugar cookies

◊ Ice the molasses cookies that are already done

♦ Make cookie trays from said cookies + the cookies that we already did on Friday (the ones that actually lasted the weekend around here…)

♦ Thaw out the cookies that we made Friday – that should probably be done first…..
♦ Deliver said cookie trays to K&K, Carquest, H-city fire department (for all their help – technically it’s from us, but it is F-town Fire Department’s “thank you”)
♦ ~~Christmas cards~~
♦ Pick up and wrap remaining presents from mom’s house
♦ Put together gifts for Batman’s family
♦ ~~Learn~~ go over song to do with the brothers for the Christmas program on Sunday
♦ Get ahold of the brother with the idea to find out what song it is – again. (Ahem, Z, if you’re reading… I, uh, needtoberemindedofwhatsongwearedoing. I am pretty sure that text message has been erased. Oops.)

Oh, you wanted a visual?

Meet Harry Crumb

2009-12-16T12:09:00.003-05:00

This is Harry Crumb. He was rescued two-and-a-half months ago from under the porch at my in-laws' house and spared the life of a feral cat. Instead, he is a spoiled and rambunctious, yet very well loved, mostly-indoor kitty. He is often referred to as "Crumb," "Crumb-Crumb," or just "Kitty," and when he isn't playing with the most random things around the house, he can be found curled up with the dog or on our bed. He makes a fantastic little heater at night.

You may wonder why I am introducing him to you after all this time... Well, you see, I have no doubt that there will be at least one post in the near future involving Crumb-Crumb, and I thought it best for you to have already met him before you read of his adventures, but hopefully no misadventures!

Ponderings

2009-12-15T12:34:00.001-05:00

The baby is fussing. He is tired, but his bed is currently occupied by Batman (well, it's Batman's bed, but Boo sleeps there when he's here...) and he is not interested in falling asleep on the couch. So instead, I hold him. Rubbing his head and his ears, I watch him as his eyes get heavy and close, and I begin to ponder.

Jesus, what were You like when You were a baby? When You were tired, did your mother hold you while you fell asleep or did she lay You down in Your bed, kiss Your forehead, and walk away? Could she bear to put You down and walk away? Did your lashes sweep down on Your cheeks as you slept or were they short little wisps that didn't reach Your cheeks? Did Your hair stick up in silky spikes all over, or were You bald til You were two? Was Your tiny fist curled around Mary's thumb, or was Your hand open and relaxed while You slept? Did Your mother know the unspeakable joys and sorrows that she would experience as the mother of our Savior, or did she just relish the joy and the beauty of You? At six months old, were people stopping to look and coo at You because You were a baby (and everyone loves babies) or were You already drawing people to Yourself?

Just wondered.

The Reason

2009-12-14T08:25:00.011-05:00

There is less than two weeks left until Christmas, and I look at my list of things that I still need to get done and sigh.

♦ Cookies:
◊ Grandma’s press cookies
◊ Chocolate peppermint cookies
◊ Peanut butter blossoms (We ate all the ones that mom sent home on Friday. Yes, we’re lushes sometimes. Yes, they were very tasty.)
◊ ANOTHER batch of Mrs. O’s sugar cookies. VERY important

♦ Make cookie trays from said cookies + the cookies that we already did on Friday (the ones that actually lasted the weekend around here…)
♦ Deliver said cookie trays to K&K, Carquest, H-city fire department (for all their help – technically it’s from us, but it is F-town Fire Department’s “thank you”)
♦ Christmas cards
♦ Pick up and wrap remaining presents from mom’s house
♦ Put together gifts for Batman’s family
♦ Learn song to do with the brothers for the Christmas program on Sunday
♦ Get ahold of the brother with the idea to find out what song it is – again. (Ahem, Z, if you’re reading… I, uh, needtoberemindedofwhatsongwearedoing. I am pretty sure that text message has been erased. Oops.)

Then I take a breath and remember something that Aunt Pat posted on Rachel's page the other day: (in a nutshell) It isn't about the project, it is about the relationship.

It isn't about all of those things that I "need" to get done. It is about the relationships that I build in the meantime. And most of all, it is about our Savior. Not the cookies, not the presents, not even the snow. This is a time to reflect on Him, and thank Him for the ultimate gift: His Son, and therefore, Life.

Off to Grandma's House

2009-12-11T13:24:00.005-05:00

Over the river and through the woods,
To grandmother's house we go;
The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh,
Through the white and drifted snow, O!

Over the river and through the woods,
Oh how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes, and bites the nose,
As over the ground we go.

Over the river and through the woods,
To have a first-rate play;
Oh hear the bells ring, "Ting-a-ling-ling!"
Hurrah for Christmas Cookie Baking Day, Hey!

Over the river and through the woods,
Trot fast my dapple gray!
Spring over the ground, like a hunting hound!
For this is Christmas Cookie Baking Day, Hey!

Over the river and through the woods,
And straight through the barnyard gate,
We seem to go extremely slow.
It is so hard to wait!

Over the river and through the woods,
Now grandmother's cap I spy!
Hurrah for the fun! Is the cookie dough done?
Hurrah for the Christmas cookies!

Silent Night

2009-12-07T18:02:00.004-05:00

What to do on a quiet, snowy night when either a) everyone else is sleeping or b) no one else is home?

Curl up in the recliner with a cup of tea and some knitting and enjoy the peace and the silence.

My Bubble

2009-12-03T17:13:00.004-05:00

I LOVE Christmas shopping online. Period. I think that there is no other way to do it. Case and point: I was at Kmart (simply because Walmart does not do layaway anymore, and sometimes you just need layaway to store your stuff so it isn't hidden in the pantry for little people to find) today to pay part of our layaway. I was blissfully ALONE (aside from the littles - I let them tag along this time) in the layaway section, and suddenly, a hoard of people swarmed in. I almost tweaked. One woman came up and positioned herself and her cart next to me - not behind me in line - NEXT TO ME. She was getting very close to my bubble. Then, another woman came along side me on the other side, hovered over my purse (definitely INSIDE my bubble at this point) and asked if Kmart "does" layaway. Uh, yes. They do. By now, "having a tweak" as The Girl would say, was imminent. Not IF, but WHEN. One more woman nearly tipped the scales. The layaway-wonderer moved on, and another woman took her place. I caught sight of a dazzling, ear-to-ear smile out of the corner of my eye, drew a breath and turned my head to see who was inside my bubble this time. The tension eased out of my body and I let out a laugh as I saw the source of the dazzling smile was one of my friends from church. We left layaway together talking about the merits of online shopping. Less people. Hurray!

In keeping with the desire to remain thankful in all things, I'm quite thankful for miss L today. She was a breath of fresh air in the crazy mass of bodies Christmas shopping. I am also quite thankful for online shopping. :)

Merry Almost-Christmas and Happy Shopping, everyone!

Being Thankful

2009-11-22T14:33:00.002-05:00

It is Thanksgiving week, and most people are turning their thoughts towards things they are thankful for. My question, though, is this: Why is it that we are only focusing on being thankful for one day or one week out of the year? Our pastor has addressed the issue of being thankful in all things (and therefore having the right attitude) over the past two weeks. This is an area that God had been pricking our hearts in to begin with, and, with Pastor's input, the pricks have gotten a little stronger. I find it fascinating that I can pick out ungratefulness or general attitudes of cynicism in others, but so often don't see or hear my own. That is, until my children - you know, the same kind of mini recorders you might have in your own home - open their mouths. How can I expect my kids to have the right attitude when they hear me being ungrateful or cynical? No, things do not always go my way, but what happened to being thankful in all things? Hmm... Ouch.

The Girl has been getting growing pains lately, and while I feel very bad for her - I experienced them myself very often when I was younger - I am also reminded that as adults, we still get them. It is not fun to hear your pastor speak and "hit the nail on the head" two Sundays in a row. I am not overly fond of wanting to squirm in church. It is not overly fun knowing that the pricking I feel in my soul is the work of God, growing me, and requiring more of me. Despite the discomfort, with all of my heart I want to be more and more Christlike every day. So I will take the pricking, and I will surrender to my Lord, and I will grow. Retraining is in order, and I will follow the advice of Paul in Philippians 4:

"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." Phil 4:4-8, NLT

"Grumble and Complain" are not part of the instructions there. Instead, I think that the above verses are at least part of the picture of the Fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 NLT says,

"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience (NIV reads longsuffering) [I'm not being very patient - or longsuffering - if I can't be thankful], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!"

This week, as everyone around us is focusing on being thankful, we will begin retraining ourselves in our home. Becoming more thankful and longsuffering in our own lives, and passing it on to our children.

Yes, he is THAT kind of guy....

2009-11-20T16:21:00.002-05:00

You know the one.... The guy that:

° loves you unconditionally,
° prays for you,
° provides for you,
° makes you laugh,
° surprises you,
° still gives you butterflies,
° remembers your favorite flower and sends it just so he can say "I love you...."
° you give your whole heart to without a second thought.

The hubby thought today was a perfect day for a surprise... just because. I think he fits the bill of "THAT guy" perfectly.

Thanks, Batman. :) You win the who-loves-who-more debate... For today. :)

1. November 029, 2. November 024, 3. November 013, 4. November 026

Yum!

2009-11-12T10:32:00.005-05:00

Let me just say, I LOVE my Kitchen Aide. Really, I do. Ask Batman. Or my mom. Or my sister-in-law. They will all tell you it's true. "Why?" you may ask. Well, faithful readers, thank you for asking. I'll tell you why I love it so much.

You can do ANYTHING with it. Really, you can.

- Fill your house with yummy smells.
- Speaking of smells - get rather yucky, potent smells out of your nose and fill your brain with nice images.
- Use up a rather monstrous zucchini.
- Express your love for your family.
- Prepare for a pretend visit with your brother and bff.
- Use up the pumpkin in the fridge.
- Make the hubby's tummy happy.

Oh, that isn't all! You can also do the normal things you would expect for a Kitchen Aide, like mixing, stirring, kneading, grating and shredding.

Cookbook stands (a gift from another sister-in-law), and a clean kitchen are two other things that I am rather fond of. I do think that the Kitchen Aide love it top of the list, though. Don't you see why I love mine so much? That's what I thought.

Sing it with me....

2009-11-05T00:11:00.006-05:00

"We are the champions - my friends
And we'll keep on fighting - till the end -
We are the champions -
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions - of the world!"

Can anyone say "27th World Championship for the Yankees!"??

Happy Fall!!

2009-10-31T19:58:00.003-04:00

The kids had TONS of fun at this years Fall Fun Night. Making it just that much more special was the fact that the cousins are home and got to join in the fun. Thanks, Aunt E!!! :)

Clockwise from the top: Monkey played with marshmallow-toothpick sculptures and tried making some of his own; Aunt E and Tonka looking very spiffy; The Boy and his best bud creating hairdos; The Girl and Tonka creating marshmallow-toothpick sculptures; The Boy posing after a "round" of golf; three little buds showing of their face paints; The Girl and Tonka getting ready for a game; The girl getting her second face paint; the kids with Pastor M, all of them thrilled with their faces; a rousing game of hot potato; The Boy having his turn with the face painter; the boys post hair sculpting.

The Boy's First...

2009-10-29T14:57:00.006-04:00

Way back in September (I know, terrible updating), The Boy had what he said was "thebestnightof(my)lifeEVER!!!!!!" What did he get to do? He went to his very first rock concert with mommy and Uncle D. And he LOVED IT. That is what he said, anyway. I really couldn't tell how he would feel between the squealing, screaming and jumping all around the house when I told him that I was taking him to see his absolute favorite band LIVE. It is entirely possible that he did not sleep at all the night before.

He loved the music, was awestruck to see (and MEET) Kutless in person (mommy and Uncle D reminded him that they are people too and put their pants on just like we do in the morning), and tuckered himself out with all the jumping, dancing, screaming, singing, and... worshiping! I have to admit, while is was neat to meet them, my favorite part was watching my son get absolutely lost in worship to his heavenly Father. He didn't care who was looking. At that point, he didn't even seem to care that he was fifteen feet away from Kutless themselves. It was him and God. Witnessing that was definitely my highlight. Coming in second, though, was the absolute joy on his face while he got a chance to meet the guys face to face and actually chat with a couple of them for a couple minutes. Daddy's question to The Boy when we got home? "Did you tell them you play the drums, too?" He giggled (yes, boys do giggle) and told daddy that he was so nervous meeting them that he didn't even remember that daddy was teaching him to play.

Music to a SOMETIMES OCD mom's ears

2009-09-06T16:19:00.003-04:00

The Girl - "Hey, mommy!"

The Mommy - "What, honey?"

The Girl - "My lego people have a house, and it is VERY organized!"

The Mommy - pats herself on the back for a job well done. Part time OCD clone: check.

The Hazards of Dirt Bike Riding

2009-09-05T13:46:00.004-04:00

The Boy and The Girl went out to ride their dirt bikes the other day in the gravel pit located behind and up the hill from our house. Shortly after they left, I heard the sound of ONE motorcycle returning, and then The Boy burst in the door.

"MOM! MOM! PLEASE! I NEED YOUR CAMERA!" he shouted.

"Uh, Bud, where's your sister?"

"MOM! Seriously, please! I need it right away! I'll only have it for a minute!"

"Bud, your sister...."

"Mom! There'safoxnexttohisdeninthegravelpitandhe'sjustsittingtherelookingatusandIwanttotakeapictureofitpleasemayIuseyourcamerareallyreallyquickplease!"

Yes, it all came out that fast. "Boy! Where. Is. Your. Sister."

"She's still riding around in the gravel pit, keeping an eye on the fox! And, MOM! I got really really really close to it, close enough to touch, and it didn't run away!!"

Fantastic. Just what a protective mother wants to hear. I haven't been so "countryfied" that the thought of wild animals near my children does not send my heart into freaked-out spasms. Despite the heart palpitations , I took a deep breath and handed the camera to my dear son, with strict instructions to NOT WRECK while in possession of mommy's beloved camera. With a quick "I promise" and a blur of not-so-little feet, he was off, motor racing to get back to the fox before it no longer felt like being an object of intense scrutiny from "little" people.

Several tense minutes later, the sound of two motorcycles made it's way to my ears, and I breathed a sigh of relief. They could not drive their motorcycles down the hill very well if they were maimed. Right? The Boy came rushing in to show me the pictures, and as he looked at them with me, he commented, "well, that stinks! I was a whole lot closer to him than the picture shows!"

Thanks, Bud, I appreciate that piece of information. Have you ever heard of "TMI"? Trust me, this qualifies.

The Speed Wobble

2009-08-28T18:52:00.002-04:00

It was a beautiful day when we were driving down the Gulf Coast in Mississippi. I looked ahead and saw my husband on his motorcycle, his front tire wobbling. Shaking my head and rolling my eyes, I muttered something about him messing around. Later, when we arrived at our destination, he mentioned how he momentarily panicked when his bike went into what is commonly called a "speed wobble" after he brought it down out of a wheelie and he was unable to stop it. He replayed how he had stiffened up and fought to control his motorcycle, knowing he was headed for a certain crash. Striving to regain control, something filtered through his brain and he heard it: "Just relax." Relax?!?! Seriously?! But he remembered hearing about the natural reaction to fight the wobble and try to bring the motorcycle under control, but the RIGHT reaction is to just relax, and the bike would correct itself. So he fought his nature and did just that. He let go of the handlebars and just completely relaxed his body, relinquishing even the remotest possibility of control over his motorcycle. Amazingly, the front wheel straightened and the bike was back on the "straight and narrow course" that he was previously driving.

This memory has been cycling through my mind lately. The sparkling water on the right, the broken and battered buildings and vegetation on the left. My husband fighting to remain in control in front of me. His words recounting how he let go, no longer trying to control his course....

Can you tell where I am going with this?

It amazes me that God remains so patient with us, tapping our shoulder, nudging us and reminding us of the right way.... Oh, how long it takes me to get it sometimes! I've been remembering Batman's story of learning to let go in the physical while God has been teaching us and reminding us and prompting us to let go in the spiritual. How many times do we fight and strive to remain - or regain - control of our lives, heading for certain destruction, when the right answer is to relinquish control to the One who can really handle it? Batman and I finally got it. It's time to let go. Guess what? The bike lined right up, and we're back on the straight and narrow course we started on. Is your bike in a speed wobble? Are you headed for a guaranteed wreck? Let go of the handle bars. Relax. Let God take control.

What is it?

2009-07-22T14:32:00.006-04:00

There has been a devotional sitting on the end table for a couple months now (thanks, M), silently beckoning me into a deeper study and pursuit. I have put it off, with varying excuses ranging from, "I'm too tired today. I'll start tomorrow," (and we all "tomorrow" never comes) to "I don't think I have it in me right now." Today I picked up the devotional and set aside my worries, fears, and short-comings. Why? The devotional is "The Pursuit of Holiness" and frankly, holiness is something that I have struggled with forever, it seems. I know that God calls us to holiness, but it often seems so unattainable. And in this quest to be holy, will I acquire a "holier-than-thou" attitude and put people off rather than draw them in? Absolutely... if it is holiness of my own works and doings rather than God working in me. God demands holiness of us, though, so, HOW?

One of the questions in the devotional asked for the definition of holiness in my own words. Would this follow in a dictionary? I don't know, but I do know that this was God's little insight into my soul for this journey.

Holiness is simply this: It is being so close with God that His character rubs off on us rather than the character of everything around us. It's that simple. It is not a super-formula I need to figure out and follow. It is not a series of actions and reactions to magically become holier. If I, in my own strength, try to be holy, then yes, I absolutely will have that "holier-than-thou" attitude and repulse people. But if it is God's work in me, that righteous and holiness will be real, and it will in turn draw people to Him and be that shining light.

Leviticus 19:2 says "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy." Holiness is a commandment from God. It is not optional. Are you up for the challenge?

Promises

2009-07-14T19:46:00.002-04:00

I love how God is always so timely. Whether it is a reminder, or a word of encouragement, or a little (much needed sometimes) nudge, He is always right on time. And He always fulfills His promises and does what He said He'll will do... in HIS perfect time. So, in case you are in need of any reminders today too, I thought I'd share our verses for the day and the view we had at one of the kids' soccer games recently. Ah, the ultimate reminder of God's sovereignty, faithfulness and promises.

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. If you love me, you will obey what I command.

John 14:13-15 NIV

__________________

And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

James 5:15,16 KJV

__________________

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

1 John 3:22,23 KJV

For they will be a people blessed by the LORD, they and their descendants with them. Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.

Isaiah 65:23b,24 NIV

__________________

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:12,13 NIV

__________________

They will call on My name,
And I will answer them;

I will say,
"They are My people,'

And they will say,
"The LORD is my God.'

Zechariah 13:9 NASB

Our first B&B experience

2009-07-01T18:31:00.009-04:00

Let me just say, I should have done this YEARS ago. Done what? you may ask. I should have left generic hotels behind and moved on to the more tranquil pastures of a Bed and Breakfast. Batman indulged me this year, and we stayed at a beautiful B&B while we were in Elmira for our annual excursion on the Toys for Tots ride. Let me just say, it was Heaven. By the time Sunday afternoon rolled around, I had NO interest in leaving. Alas, the real world was beckoning us home, so we bid our goodbyes, but not before reserving "our" room for next year. Yes, it was that wonderful. Tony and Marianne Spycher, owners of Villa Bernese are fantastic hosts. Their house was absolutely charming - pictures do not even begin to do it justice - and the food! Oh, the food. Monday I had to start counting points again. It was that delicious and that plentiful! The down comforter and the complimentary bottle of champagne were added bonuses, but the company of Tony and Marianne and the other guests was by far the best. Batman and I are looking forward to returning next year to celebrate our anniversary again! I've always looked forward to the Toys for Tots ride, but this year I am looking forward to it even more! If you ever get a chance, stop in and visit the Spychers at Villa Bernese. You won't regret it!

More photos can be found here.

The Wait

2009-06-24T14:59:00.003-04:00

It seems that all around me my friends are in the midst of the same lesson I am: The Wait. Some of us our throwing ourselves at the feet of God and crying out, "Rescue me!!" Others have a heart's desire and are ready to see if fulfilled NOW, while still others would like to see certain things lined up and doors opened. Different scenarios, but the the same lesson: learning to wait on God's perfect timing and perfect plan. Learning that His ways are much higher and better than our own, and if we could just see it the way He sees it, we would be patient for sure. But that isn't the point of the lesson, is it? Rather, what we need to learn is to patiently wait even though we don't see the big picture. To sit back and trust Him to complete the work in His timing, and know that it will be far more glorifying to Him and perfect when He does it His way rather than ours. So, today I have the following song by John Waller playing on repeat as I go about my day. I wanted to share it with you, my fellow waitees. I'm sorry, you'll have to deal with the lyrics alone. I will not be singing it to you via the blog, for a variety of reasons. Stand strong, dear friends. Wait patiently, and remember that our Abba Father has our best interests at heart, and in the end, it will be perfect and the glory will be all His.

While I'm Waiting
John Waller

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait

I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve you while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord

Beyond Faithful

2009-06-11T02:00:00.002-04:00

Have you ever found yourself feeling like you are just "going through the motions," stuck in a rut that you just cannot seem to get out of, despite the desire to do so? Perhaps you may have wondered if your prayers are hitting the ceiling and bouncing right back down only to be heard by your own ears? Maybe you have found yourself so far from that thing we call holiness that you are sure God must have turned His back, ashamed to look your way? It may not be actions keeping you so far away, but a matter of the heart.

No? No one has felt that way? Oh. Well, I know I have, far too many times. It isn't even always an action issue, but the condition of my heart that causes the problem. Then, of course, because I know just how black my heart can be, just how horrid my attitude has been, and the viciousness of my thoughts, my own head begins to list off all of the reasons that God should not and will not hear my pleas anymore. Or is it my own mind? Perhaps Satan sees those weaknesses in me as well, and takes that opportunity to whisper those lies into my ear. The lie that God will not listen. The lie that God does not care. The lie that God has turned His back on me.

So, once again, I throw myself at the feet of God, pleading for forgiveness and for Him to cleanse me, to renew me. I spend time in prayer - something that is so simple yet many times seems so difficult. Then I dry my tears, and come out of my room and sit at the computer to check our emails. Rather than checking the daily comic strip, I go to the daily Bible verses first. A step in the right direction. My ever-faithful heavenly Daddy has, once again, heard my cries, and in His ultimate goodness, speaks to my heart. Our verses for the day are these:

God is Gracious and Forgiving
So Repent... Turn from Sin

This is why it is said:
"Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you."

Be very careful, then, how you live-
not as unwise but as wise,
making the most of every opportunity,
because the days are evil.

Therefore do not be foolish,
but understand what the Lord's will is.

Ephesians 5:14-17 NIV

Repent, then, and turn to God,
so that your sins may be wiped out,
that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

Acts 3:19 NIV

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off - for all whom the Lord our God will call."

Acts 2:38,39 NIV

I am again amazed at God's faithfulness despite my utter lack thereof. Now this song by Kari Jobe is playing throughout our house:

Come to me, you weary one.
And I will give you rest.
I will give you rest.
Come to me, you weary one.
And I will give you rest.
I will give you rest.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Take me upon you, I will give you rest.

Come to me, you broken one.
And I will give you peace.
I will give you peace.
Come to me, you broken one.
And I will give you peace.
I will give you peace.
I will calm your waters, and I will whisper,
"Peace be still."
Take me upon you, I will give you peace.

Come to me, you burdened one.
And I will give you joy.
I will give you joy.
Come to me, you burdened one.
And I will give you joy.
I will give you joy.
You will rise like eagles, and my joy will be your strength.
Take me upon you, I will give you joy.

Come to me
I have been waiting for you here.
He has been waiting for you here.
Come. Come to Him.
Come and find your peace.
Come and find your rest.
Come and find your joy.
He is waiting here for you.
He is waiting here for you with open arms,
To hold you, to embrace your heart, to love you.
He is waiting here.

If you ever feel the way I have been feeling lately, run to Him. That voice whispering in your ear that God is not listening or that His back is turned is an absolute lie. God is beyond faithful.

The Birthday Boy

2009-05-16T11:19:00.002-04:00

Hard to believe that on this day eleven years ago, I was sitting in a hospital bed calmly talking to our friends. On this day, eleven years ago, I had been in said hospital bed for two weeks, trying to keep a very tiny body inside. Eleven years ago, sitting in that bed, talking to those friends, I had no idea what that little tiny body would be like today. I had no idea how full the joys would be because of him. Our life would not be as full, or as loud, without Bud. So, favorite son of mine, happy birthday. We love you and cherish you and would never in a million years, ever trade you for a turtle. No matter what anyone says.

Celebrate

2009-05-08T11:43:00.001-04:00

With all the layoffs and "voluntary leave of absences" at work I thought this was so apropos. It's a good reminder to keep the right attitude and chin up and continue to trust God. Plus it's cute. :)

The Red Sea

2009-04-22T23:44:00.007-04:00

I've heard a story a time or two of a people who were in bondage. This people cried out to God and He sent a deliverer for them. This deliverer went to their captor and asked him nicely to release the people. First he said yes, then he said no. God pushed the captors buttons and he changed his mind again. As soon as God left the captor alone again, he changed his mind again. This happened several times when finally, the captor had enough. God killed the captor's firstborn son, and the people were out of there! They traveled quite a ways with God's guidance and suddenly found themselves between a rock and a hard place. Or rather, between their former captor's very angry army and a impassable sea. This people began to grumble and complain to and about their deliverer and told him that they would have been better off if he had left them in captivity. "Who cares what God promised?? Look where we are now!" Yet, in this peoples darkest hour, God stepped in and parted that sea, and the people crossed over dry land into safety. Their former captor's army tried to follow, only to drown in the sea that God was no longer parting.

Yes, that is an old Bible story, but is God any different now? I don't think so. Are you in captivity now, waiting for God to send your deliverance? He's sending it. Or were you in captivity and enjoying your freedom only to find yourself in what feels like your darkest hour? "God, what happened? And things were going so well! Now look!! I'm backed up against this roiling sea and my enemy is coming in fast!" Ah, but God is there. We may not always see it. We may not even always feel it. In the middle of the storm or the fight, there are times we cannot see the end. But God sees. God knows. And He will always fulfill His promises. ALWAYS. I don't care how dark it is. Chin up. Your deliverer is coming.

My Deliverer is coming, my Deliverer is standing by....
My Deliverer is coming, my Deliverer is standing by...
He will never break His promise, He has written it across the sky!
My Deliverer is coming, my Deliverer is standing by...

My Deliverer is coming, my Deliverer is standing by....
My Deliverer is coming, my Deliverer is standing by...
He will never break His promise, though the sun should break faith with
the sky!
My Deliverer is coming, my Deliverer is standing by...

I will never doubt His promise, though I doubt my heart, though I doubt
my mind!
My Deliverer is coming, my Deliverer is standing by!

~ Rich Mullens

"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge" Psalms 18:2

Change

2009-04-18T14:51:00.003-04:00

This afternoon was so beautiful and warm, I was able to hang laundry out on the line for the first time this year. As I repetitively reached in the basket and then turned, stretching out to hang the next garment, I began to think of how I had missed this simple task and about the change in the seasons that was required for me to be able to do it again. I personally love the change from winter to spring, the gradual move into summer, and the gentle cooling back into fall. The only season I don't always greet with absolute joy is winter, but I know there are others that wish there was more of that cold, white season. It's not that I completely dislike it, I just prefer the warmer weather and the sun. My thoughts then turned to the similar lack of enthusiasm I have towards other changes in life and realized that, without changes, we can't enter a new season in our lives. Sometimes we have to face our personal winters, a time for the old things to die off, so that the new things that God wants to grow in us and bring us into can be birthed. We cannot have spring without winter. As I sat down to write this particular post, I glanced at our sidebar and reread our "Words that encourage us" verse and the first half struck me with how pertinent it is to our life right now. When I posted it, the way it spoke to my heart was of a newness in worship. I read it today and was blown away with the significance and appropriateness of the verse to our situation today. Batman and I are facing many changes right now. Some came somewhat easily - with a significant amount of prayer and seeking God's direction. There are others that we are staring in the face and saying, "ok, God, this is what You have placed before us, this is what You have impressed on our hearts, um.... now what? We need you to provide a way...." Sometimes the things of God seem absolutely crazy and absurd, but one thing He has promised is to ALWAYS make a way. He will never ever direct us one way and then leave us stranded. He sees the big picture and His solution is, in all reality, amazingly simple. Maybe not to us, but to God, it is a simple as moving His hand.

God asks: Do you see what I see? (not always) Do you hear what I hear? (I'd like to think so) Do you know what I know? (in part) Do you want what I want? (oh yes!!)

I leave you with our verse that encourages us right now. Perhaps YOU are facing changes in your life. Maybe it is your winter right now, or perhaps your are coming out of that winter season and coming into spring. Whatever God has for you, remember that change is good. Change is what brings about the new growth that God has for you. Will you not be aware of it?

"Behold, I will do something new,
Now it will spring forth;
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the desert.
The beasts of the field will glorify Me,
The jackals and the ostriches,
Because I have given waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert,
To give drink to My chosen people.
The people whom I formed for Myself
Will declare My praise."

Isaiah 43:19-21 NASB

The Test

2009-04-15T16:07:00.002-04:00

Have you ever wondered how to pass a test? I have. Or how much hurt and disappointment you can go though before it stops hurting? Or disappointing? Yup, done that, too. How many times can you get cut, or stabbed, or punched before you just stop feeling it? And how many times do you have to keep responding right? That is one lesson I would rather be able to finish with the statement to my children of, "do as I say, not as I do." But that isn't really very good parenting. So how much? How many times do you have to go through the same test? And how on earth does one pass it, because, if it is all the same to everyone else, I would really rather be done going around the mountain now. I'd rather just be done taking the hits rather than wondering when they won't hurt any more. I'd rather just pass and move on to some other test that might have different punches and knives involved. I'd really rather stop bleeding for awhile. Or maybe have no more tears to fall on the open pages of my book or in my cup of vanilla coffee. At least for now.

Reality Check

2009-04-10T23:04:00.002-04:00

T: "I can't believe I'm almost nine!"

Mommy: Silence. Look of utter shock and SILENCE.

T: "What?! I WILL be nine in five months!"

Mommy: "I don't know if I'm ready for that yet, honey."

T: "Don't worry, mommy. I'll always be your baby girl."

I'm Confused

2009-04-08T20:30:00.002-04:00

Today IS April 8th, right? It IS the third week of Spring, isn't it? Because, it is really cold outside and my coal stove is still running!!

Oh yeah... Western New York.... THAT'S it. I remember now.... Summer shows up in July. Can you tell I am ready for the warm weather and the sun shine?

Sweet Success

2009-04-04T13:48:00.006-04:00

Batman has been conniving and planning lately, and, while I knew something was up, I chose to leave it alone.... After all, I knew what I had done to him when he turned 30... Maybe he would be nicer. (Please, Jesus!!)

Turns out, he was... Yesterday morning he awoke with "the flu", but braved it out and went to work anyway. An hour or two after he left, he called saying he was throwing up, please would I come get him? He knew full well that I would drop everything and run to his rescue. Less than five minutes after he got in the van, he let his sick façade slip, and mentioned that a steak sub sounded GREAT. Uh huh... The rest of the 26 mile trip home was uneventful, and we pulled into our empty driveway and I walked into our dark house. Then I looked up and saw this:

I walked around the corner into the dining room and saw our friends and his sisters. I felt the pang of the missing brother and sister-in-law and littles and looked up and saw these guys. As soon as I saw that head almost brushing my ceiling, I felt my eyes misting up. First, it had been a little over a year since we've seen them and we love them to pieces, so seeing them is always a pleasure. Second, it was like having a little piece of the missing brother and sister-in-law. No idea why. It just was.

In order to pull this off, Batman had involved the littles and his sisters, and the moment I left the house to go pick him up from work, they all apparently came flying up here to put everything together. Poor things. Rather than getting my normal things done, like the lunch dishes and cleaning the bathroom, I had decided to get ambitious. I tore apart the shampooer and fixed that. I was minutes away from shampooing the carpets when Batman called from work. Good timing.... So the sils and the littles had to put the coffee table back in the living room, hide the shampooer, AND do the dishes. Oops. But they did a great job. It wouldn't have been possible without them.

I love having a nice dinner and enjoying a good glass of wine with it, but I rarely actually go down and buy wine.... Especially not to let it just sit in the rack for when I am ready for it. So, in lieu of more traditional birthday gifts, Batman instructed everyone to bring me a bottle of sweet red wine. Now my rack looks like this:

There were just enough gifts to fill it. No empty spaces, and no bottle left without a home. It was a fun party, and so good to see our friends. Aside from the missing brother and family, there was one friend that was missing, but Batman informed me that one was almost my fault. He told me I never left my phone alone and unattended long enough for him to sneak off with it and find her number. Oops. Sorry, James! :)

Now I am off to contemplate dinner and decide which glass of wine will suit it best.

Progress

2009-03-24T01:06:00.002-04:00

Remember the chickens? Well, we are down to a total of EIGHT. One rooster (yes, it did turn out that Drumstick is a rooster and he is the ONE that.... survived.... The rest were..... tasty.) Out of all those sweet, fluffy little chicks, SEVEN were hens. *sigh* The other day we finally got one egg per hen.

Aren't they pretty?? Now if they will keep up the good work!

New Additions

2009-03-20T00:28:00.010-04:00

We've learned a few things in the last month:

Number one, bunnies that are still rather small CAN and WILL get pregnant. Oops.

Number two, male bunnies will eat little tiny baby bunnies. BIG oops. Maybe that lesson should have been in the "number one" section, and the "number one" lesson should be moved to "number two." I am not really sure, there, since both lessons happened simultaneously.

Those two lessons learned, we promptly examined the other bunnies in our possession and discovered a second pregnant female. We immediately removed her from the pen with the others and brought her inside, where she remained for a few weeks in her own private cage in the pantry. During those first two weeks, I began to second guess myself. Perhaps this beautiful gray bunny was not pregnant, just obese. It is possible for a bunny to get fat, isn't it? Day after day passed, and still no babies. Then one night, this beautiful gray bunny began to act so strange. She was losing her downy "under-fur" and every time we would peek in on her, she had strips of newspaper sticking out of both sides of her mouth. What on earth was she doing? Not only is she fat, but she's losing her mind, too? Great. A psychotic rabbit. Just what I need. The next morning we peeked in on her and discovered that this nest-like mound in the corner of her cage was... squirming... BABIES! I was so grateful... She was not fat, and she was not crazy.

The babies are now a couple weeks old and have made the move back outside. Batman revamped the pen, creating five little cubbyholes, one for each bunny, with the middle cubby housing mommy and babies.

This was their last morning indoors. They looked quite comfortable lounging on the love seat, and I was greatly tempted to go buy a litter box, pick my favorite baby, and keep it indoors. Batman swiftly told me NO. Spoilsport. Ah well.... The babies and "grownups" can be visited outside, I suppose.

Have you ever seen a grown man cry?

2009-03-17T12:30:00.003-04:00

I've heard it said that every XBox 360 owner's greatest fear is to hear the words "Halo" and "canceled" in the same sentence. But the thing that will give them the worst nightmare of their life is to see this:

The Ring of Death.

What does the Ring of Death mean? It means that a grown 35 year old man and an almost eleven year old boy whine and cry. Literally. It means that this grown man and this sweet boy will be without their beloved XBox for at least two weeks while the XBox makes it way to Texas to undergo repairs. Both the man and the boy wondered what they would do for those two weeks. The mommy suggested that the man and the boy go outside to play.

In the Quiet

2009-03-10T14:25:00.004-04:00

J has just left for work, the littles are out with Aunt B for lunch. I was writting a "long lost cousin" about how we all grow up, get busy with life and lose contact. The thought of all that busyness made me pause and I took a moment to stop and listen... Quiet. There is a gentle rain pattering the roof, but other than that, there is no noise. It struck me: how often are our lives filled with so much noise that we don't have the time or we don't take the time to just stop and listen to the quiet? In the quiet, I found myself singing this song:

In the quiet, in the stillness
I know that You are God
In the secret of Your presence
I know there I am restored
When You call I won't refuse
Each new day again I'll choose

There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise

In the chaos and confusion
I know You're sovereign still
In the moment of my weakness
You give me grace to do Your will
When You call I won't delay
This my song through all my day

There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise

All my delight in You Lord
All of my hope
All of my strength
All my delight is in You Lord
Forevermore

(None But Jesus, Hillsong United)

Take the time to be quiet today, to find God in the stillness, to be refreshed and restored.

It Takes All Kinds

2009-02-27T02:12:00.004-05:00

This evening I sat down to do my weekly mani/pedi (yes, I was pampering myself. I figured that every homeschooling mom needs one vice. This is mine. Salon quality, Walmart prices. DIY, baby.)and the tones went off. No surprise. It is pretty standard. Nail polish goes on, tones go off. So anyway, I was just starting my mani/pedi when our tones went off for the ambulance. I sighed, rolled my eyes, I am sure, and set aside my "Preppy in Pink" nail polish. I grabbed a light coat (remember yesterday's post?), put on my striped barn boots (rubber boots, Wellingtons, whatever), and headed out the door. I arrived at the fire hall, parked, grabbed my bag and ran to the ambulance. We were off.

After about 90 seconds on the road, I began to second guess who my driver was. We were careening around corners and bouncing over every bump. Quite unusual for the driver I had tonight. Arriving on scene in record time, I jumped out of the ambulance with my hands covered in a gorgeous blue latex free glove, my jump bag over one shoulder and clipboard in the other hand. I walked over to the little car at the side of the road, introduced myself, and began asking the pertinent questions. Only to find out this:

Driver A and Passenger B were driving down the road when Little Dog C needed to... potty..... Driver A slowly pulled off the road onto a patch of what appeared to be dead grass and Passenger B proceeded to take Little Dog C out to.... potty. Little Dog C finished its business and Passenger B and Little Dog C returned to the car. Driver A put the car in gear and applied the gas only to find that all three of them were stuck in the mud.... The little car would just not go anywhere. Passenger B called her husband who met them at the side of the road and Mr. Passenger B then called for a tow truck. Somewhere along the line, a Good Samaritan who was passing by decided to do their Good Samaritanly duty and call 911 to report the .... accident... that they had just driven by. At that time, 911 did their job and toned us out for the MVA. Hence the interruption to my mani/pedi and our manic drive down the bumpy road. Now, let me tell you: one of the things that we are strongly encouraged to do (after we establish SAFETY) is this - remain professional AT. ALL. TIMES.

Yeah. About that. I slipped today. When Driver A finally stated (and by finally, I do mean FINALLY. This was not the first piece of information that was given to me. If the shoe had been on the other foot, that would have been the FIRST piece of information I would have gotten across. But that is just me.) that there had been no accident, I broke. I admit it. I snickered. What else was I to do? I quickly pulled myself together, got my information for my paperwork, and returned to the ambulance so we could go home. Here is my plea to you. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you have the opportunity to play Good Samaritan, could you pull over and find out if there was an actual accident first? That would be really helpful. This type of thing happens relatively frequently. It just isn't always this amusing. Ah well. Back to my mani/pedi.

It's Been Awhile

2009-02-25T16:58:00.003-05:00

Today I woke up to see the sun shining brightly and to feel "warm" air! It's been so cold lately that 42° feels like a tropical heat wave... almost. The Spring-like weather has even prompted me to start the process of Spring cleaning. Yay! Spring cleaning means organizing things that don't ordinarily get organized. It also means putting away the snowmen. You see, I LOVE my snowmen. They come out the day after Thanksgiving, along with most of the other Christmas decorations, and they stay until Spring comes. I know we aren't quite into March yet, but I am ready. If the birds started singing, the grass turned green, and the flowers started blooming tomorrow, that would be ok! I am ready to plant the garden. Thoughts of fresh, homegrown vegetables causes my mouth to water. Yep, it is definitely time for the snowmen to be put away....

AHA!

2009-01-21T22:59:00.004-05:00

Yes, it's been ages, I know... Batman keeps mentioning this to me every time he gets on the computer. So, here's proof I AM, after all, still alive and well.

I thought I'd share an "Aha! moment" I had this Sunday. In the sermon, the statement was made, "faith is our opportunity to shut up, believe, and do." He then went on to say that God is NOT interested in our "but's..." I sat thinking, and realized that Bud is the PERFECT example of this for me. In fact, this is the very thing that we have been working on with our firstborn child. That desperate need to have our own opinion or reason heard, no matter what mommy or daddy (or GOD) has said. Hmm.......

"But, MOM, I an not cold!" (when it is -5° F outside and he has been told to put on a coat), or "but, MOM, I don't eat breakfast!!" (when told to eat so he could take his vitamins before getting involved with anything else so we could leave on time).

God: "Go, (do)."
Me: "But, GOD, I don't have enough time/resources/talent, I'm too tired, I'm not brave enough, etc."

Sound familiar? I am sure that every one of us could put any number of excuses there. Meanwhile, God sits there patiently waiting for me to shut up, believe and do. Someday (hopefully bery soon) I will learn to stop having a desperate need to have the last word and I will do just that - shut up, believe, and DO.

Resolutions

2008-12-29T09:51:00.003-05:00

Christmas is over, the New Year is just a couple days away, and this is the time of year that many people re-evaluate and try to make a fresh start. Time for "New Year's Resolutions." Batman and I are working on a couple, and most people have at least one. Some resolve to eat better, to lose weight, to get in shape, to live simpler, to learn how to knit and finish that washcloth you started almost a year ago, to finish that book you've been planning for - what feels like - ever. Some resolutions turn outward and might be to spend more time with your family, to help others more, to volunteer more, to be a better parent, to be a better spouse, or friend, son or daughter, brother or sister. Maybe it is to read your Bible more, or to pray more... What I have found is that most people, in their resolutions, are trying to be a better person. And when they fall short the first time, many people give up. So here are a couple things I want you to consider as the New Year approaches:

The first day of the year is, essentially, just a day. Nowhere does it say that you must eat right, or exercise, or quit smoking, or read your Bible starting ONLY on January first. Really, that isn't a law anywhere. Today is just as good a day as any. Why wait?

On January 5th or 6th, when you screw up and eat that greasy burger, or forget to pick up your Bible that morning, DON'T QUIT!! I sincerely hope no one is ruffled or offended because I said "when"... I have just been there, done that, and know enough about human nature to know that WE ALL SCREW UP AT SOME POINT. Look, if you were already perfect, you wouldn't be making a New Year's Resolution to begin with. So, WHEN you mess up, don't GIVE UP. Every single day is a fresh start. God doesn't work like that. He doesn't hang out in Heaven, looking down and say to us, "Nope, I forgave you for that only the first time you asked. You do THAT again and you are up a creek." No. Rather, He gives a clean slate again! Which is not to say that we get to keep on messing up on purpose just because we know we'll be forgiven, but there is grace. God sees the heart, and He forgives when we come to him and once again washes us clean. So, if God doesn't give up on us or deem us to be "unchangeable", why should we do that to ourselves? Each day is a new, fresh start, regardless of the burger we ate or the Bible we didn't pick up yesterday. And God is waiting with open arms for us to come running to Him and ask Him for a fresh start.

From our Family to Yours

2008-12-24T10:01:00.003-05:00

Hands on

2008-12-06T02:05:00.004-05:00

Knuckle touch.

Solid.

Punch.

They do love each other. Really.

A Debut

2008-12-03T22:48:00.005-05:00

Sunday morning Little #1 had his first public debut.... A cast on daddy's foot makes drumming a little difficult... Bud was our fill-in, and let me tell you, he did GREAT! Yes, I realize that, as mommy, I may be a little biased, but seriously, this ten year old did a great job! *applause, applause* Good job, Bud! This mommy is looking forward to your next session on the drums.

The Score

2008-11-27T21:02:00.005-05:00

Twas the first day of hunting season, and all through the woods,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a deer... (too much rain).

The guns were all loaded and licenses displayed
In hopes of bagging the ultimate prize.

The hunters were all nestled snug in their blinds,
While visions of wall mounts and tenderloin danced in their heads
And momma in her fuzzy slippers and Batman in his camo
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap
When momma looked up at the clock and gasped
"Get out there and try again! We've six tags to fill!!"
Batman sprang from the couch and out the door he ran,
In to the truck he went, and away like a flash.
And to momma's wondering ears should ring,

The cell phone and Batman's voice on the other end,
"Honey, I'll be just a while,
Two deer I have killed,
I'll be home when I'm through."

As darkness fell, Batman pulled in the drive,
Smiling proudly as he showed off his fresh kill.
He and the boy set out to work,
A place to hang the deer had to be built.
When the pounding and sawing came to an end,
Batman stuck his head in the door and announced,
"Momma, I need your help here.
The little one there, I hung him up with ease,
But the bigger one here,
She's too big for just me."
So momma and the boy each grabbed a front leg
While Batman grabbed the hindquarters and started to climb the ladder.
One second he was up, with the deer almost hung,
Then next second he was down on the ground.
Such awful sounds came from him.
A great big scream and a laugh.
Momma knew what a laugh meant with pain,
So she tried to bully him in to the doctor right then.
Batman would hear nothing of the sort,
Instead, went to bed and did not sleep for the pain.
The next evening Batman's foot looked bad,
Like a football with Vienna sausages stuck on one end.
Momma finally won then,
To the hospital they did go to get it checked out.
Doc R. wanted to know, why the wait?
Thanks, Batman, for trying to tough it out,
But you are broken for sure,
And need help now!
A soft cast for the night,
Then to the orthopedic in the morning.
He will have to give you an ok before you can work, you know.
Doc H. was so helpful, and patched him up tight,
With a new blue cast, he can work alright.

One week later and it back to Doc H.
For the first cast was breaking,
A red one this time, please.
Here's hoping Batman gets better soon,
And that Bambi's daddy won't be out to get him, too.

Happy Thanksgiving to all, and to all a good night!

Batman: 2
Bambi's mommy: 2 (one point per "permanent" cast)

What We Were Working On (another WW post to match last weeks?)

2008-11-05T15:58:00.003-05:00

*sigh* I feel warmer already...

Think about it

2008-11-03T10:16:00.012-05:00

I don't generally go into anything political here, but with the elections tomorrow, what better time to start? I received the following "funny" - or rather, sad and scary - cartoons in my email yesterday and thought I'd share them with you. The last one seems especially accurate.

I immediately forwarded it to my dad and several others. This morning I got this response from my dad:

Great stuff. Here's a good one for you, true story .... Observed activity in our back yard, this morning while I was off at Rehab: Oscar was out on his "zip" line and as he often does, got tangled around the fence. Meantime, a large black lab wandered into the yard. Strangely, Oscar didn't bark or strain at the rope, but rather just observed this dog in silence. The strange, or should I say, foreign, dog went about his business, just sniffing around the yard. Finding a bone that Oscar had taken outside a couple of days ago, the black stranger sniffed at it with interest for a time and finally picked it up and trotted away with it. All the while Oscar just watched in silence. Perhaps he was just incredulous at the audacity of the black stranger and was at a loss for words, or rather, barks. Observing this whole scene from the picture window, Z was just laughing and as the stranger walked off with the bone, commented, "that was Obama, re-distributing the wealth!". Hmmmm .... Perhaps it's a word to us. We cannot afford to stay silent! Dad

I think many of us (perhaps most?) don't fully understand what is at stake for our country this week. Not only are there the economy and war issues, the immigration issue, and the dozens of unanswered questions about Senator O, but there is also the issue of life and death. Yes, the abortion issue is absolutely on the table, and I will personally always vote for life. Period. But I wonder... how many people are aware (or really thinking of this due to all the other issues) that right now there are two Supreme Court judges who are in line for retirement/replacement? These two judges are currently the most liberal judges on the Supreme Court. Who replaces these two men and what these new judges stand for depends solely on who gets elected into the presidency. If our next president ends up serving two terms, that president could potentially replace up to five of the Supreme Court justices. Five new judges handpicked by the president would change the majority of the SC judges. Hmm.... Think carefully. Choose wisely. Not only do we face "today's" issues, but also the shape and direction of our country for the next 40 years. Do you value your way of life? Is the sanctity of life important to you? Marriage? Do you want to live in a socialistic country? And what about things as simple as the right to homeschool our children? Or for that matter, choose their school for them at all. There are other countries that don't have the choice to homeschool or send their kids to private school, or even to a different public school so they can play a sport otherwise unavailable to them. There are countries whose citizens don't even have the freedom to read their Bibles or pray anywhere. Choose carefully. That could be our country.

Perfect timing...

2008-11-02T16:08:00.003-05:00

There is something that God is always faithful to do, and yet, for lack of a better word, it always surprises me slightly. It really shouldn't, but I admit, I always feel pleasantly surprised and definitely more at peace.

I've talked with someone recently about decisions they are personally facing, and gave the following advice: "Pray, pray, pray, pray, pray! God seldom uses neon signs in the sky to point the way, but instead, speaks in that still small voice. Pray, and He'll guide you." That's the shortened version of my advice to them. :) J and I have been talking a little about a decision we are facing ourselves and know that we need God's direction for this decision.... Which way do we step? Left? Right? Or should we just stand still for the moment? We talked more in depth about it today and discussed how we both really need to just seek God's face in the matter and trust Him to guide us. When we arrived home this afternoon, I sat down at the computer, opened our mail and found these verses in our inbox. Hmm......

He is Our Guide

For this God is our God for ever and ever;
He will be our guide even to the end.

Psalm 48:14 NIV

__________________

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying,
"This is the way, walk ye in it,
when ye turn to the right hand,
and when ye turn to the left. "

Isaiah 30:21 KJV

__________________

I will lead the blind by a way they do not know,
In paths they do not know I will guide them.

I will make darkness into light before them
And rugged places into plains.
These are the things I will do,
And I will not leave them undone.

Isaiah 42:16 NASB

That last verse speaks of God not leaving us "undone" and "undone" is absolutely how I have felt lately!! It never ceases to amaze me how God knows my exact feelings and thoughts and will speak directly to my soul. Yes, it was "merely" confirmation to seek His face and when I seek His face, He will guide me... There was no specific "direction" found in those verses, but it was that gentle reminder and affirmation of the exact thing that J and I had finished talking about no more than half an hour earlier. I love it!!

Thanks, God.

Look what I learned!! (WW post - MAYBE)

2008-10-29T19:12:00.006-04:00

Hey, maybe I can get a job with Batman, now!! :) (I did say it was MAYBE a Wordless Wednesday post....)

NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

2008-10-21T14:46:00.005-04:00

I am NOT ready for this. Not at ALL. Not this week, or next. I am not even sure I'd be ready next month..... This just isn't right...........

What is all the fuss about?

Can you see it? I had to take a picture of it on the dog so you could see....

Here, a little closer.....

Yeah, SNOW. *shudder*

The kids are quite excited about it, though....

Guess What I Found?!?!?!?!

2008-10-18T16:56:00.005-04:00

AAAHHHHH!!!! An EGG!!!!! Needless to say, I am VERY excited about this. I was beginning to fear that our chickens would not start laying until the Spring. Not good. But, when I went in to the coop to check on them today, I looked down and saw this:

The littles are quite excited as well.

Bud gets chicken duty this coming week, so he will be able to check for new eggs in the morning. He looks excited about it, doesn't he? (Guess what, he really is!! Although, we'll see how the two of them feel about "chicken duty" in six months or so. :) )

Worth the Wait?

2008-10-16T21:02:00.006-04:00

Well, for all of you who have been waiting so patiently for the famed (as long as you follow the tag board anyway) tattoo and sneaker pictures, here they are:

To keep the MOH feeling comfortable, we all added tattoos with a message. "You go girl, we love you!!"

And of course, the infamous converse sneakers.

Too bad all the guys didn't get the converse memo. They were jealous of Batman's comfort.

Bucks and Doe and Bears, OH MY!!

2008-09-30T15:49:00.001-04:00

Hunting season is nearly upon us again... With one MAJOR difference this year......

....... ME.

This past spring, my girlfriend and I took the hunter's safety course together because it is needed to get your pistol permit. I still haven't quite figured out why I want THAT either, but apparently, I do. Anyway, this year our woods and fields are, according to the DEC anyway, more overrun with deer than normal, so each hunting license was going to be accompanied by doe tags. Yay. So, J figured I should get a license this year since I have completely my hsc and can obtain a hunting license and then we would have two times the amount of tags to fill out. Brilliant, I tell you. I went along with it. Sure, honey, you can shoot more deer, fine with me!!! Then these well laid plans began to crumble before my very eyes today....

Everything went smoothly at Walmart... I am now IN THE SYSTEM and in possession of my very own hunting license. When we got to the truck, I proceeded to hand my license over to my husband with a sweet smile and an innocent, "have fun, honey!!" comment... I'd remain safe and sound at the homestead and do my wifely duties of cooking him a hot lunch when he goes out. That was MY plan, anyway.

He shook his head, refusing to take the papers, and said with a maniacal grin, "oh no, honey, YOU are going hunting this year, too!!"

Wait, what? I think I misunderstood. I am sure that I didn't hear right....... You want ME to go out into the woods, SIT QUIETLY - ALL day, HOLD a gun, AIM a gun, and actually shoot accurately???? At something LIVING?! There must be some mistake.

Nope, no mistake. Number one, he isn't filling all those tags by himself. Number two, they are my tags, I apparently have to fill them MYSELF. Something about some law or something. I was tricked, I tell you.... TRICKED!!!!!!!!

The Frenchman

2008-09-18T13:02:00.006-04:00

We have a rooster that has guaranteed his space at our homestead.... Why? I just like the look of him. I think his lop-sided crown makes him look like a little Frenchman wearing a beret. He's even taking a bow - it's all very sophisticated.

That's my take anyway.

There are others, however, who don't share the Frenchman sentiment. They say that perhaps he is..... um..... ahem..... handicapped and it isn't a French style crown, but rather a............... defect. Ahem.

It has been said that rather than hearing "Cock-a-doodle-dooooooo" out of him, we might hear "Doodle-lada-cooooooock." What I DO know is that, Frenchman or unfortunate rooster, when he does crow, it is a short and sweet "Cock-a-doooooo." Very nice. He's a keeper.

Breath of fresh air....

2008-09-16T15:57:00.002-04:00

The sun is shining, the sky is a deep blue with fluffy white clouds passing by.... and I actually have a free moment to breath....

Weddings are over, family has returned home, ambulance calls over for the day, and I actually slept last night!!!! J essentially shoved a sleeping pill down my throat, but I SLEPT!!!! There were no thoughts of "is this or that taken care of for the wedding?" or "what time do I have to have our crew there to transport Mrs. X?" It was just peaceful sleep curled up in my husband's arms. *sigh* Much better.

I also got to see my parents TWICE in the last week. Very nice. And I was able to spend time with friends I haven't seen in a while.... for some some it has only been TEN YEARS and for another, it has been a couple months since we've been able to just relax and catch up and talk, but that is not nearly enough girl time.

Exhaustion

2008-08-27T12:53:00.002-04:00

Have you ever been so tired, so wiped out, you felt like you couldn't even think anymore?

I am so there. I could cry from the frustration of it. Eyes burning, throat aching because you are holding it all in kind of cry. With every passing day, I feel like I am getting more and more tired and run down. I don't want to clean, I don't want to do laundry, I don't want to exercise, I don't want to teach, I don't want to cook....

The house hasn't been spotless in weeks. Which, of course, for a person that gets annoyed by mess, isn't a good thing. Mom came over last week and I was so proud of her... Her eyes didn't bug out of her head... She just said, "yep, it does look like a bomb went off in here," and didn't say a word when I replied, "I really don't care right now."

Laundry is a must. We can't go around naked for lack of clean clothes.

Exercise might not be essential.... I'm not sure. Somehow, without touching my elliptical I am maintaining 120.... but I can feel the difference!!! It doesn't take long to lose the "fit" shape when you don't stick with the routine.

Homeschooling the kids makes teaching pretty essential.... In the exhaustion, the patience has flown out the window. Even the little snipping at each other that most siblings will do drives me batty. There are moments I wonder if duct tape is illegal. It isn't nice anyway. Don't worry. I won't actually use duct tape on them. Every once in awhile I do just wonder... I'm pretty sure that duct tape advertises that it can hold anything together.... Even running mouths?????? Just a thought. Really.

Cooking is also extremely important... Maybe I could live on carrot sticks, bagged salad and apples, but I don't think the meat-and-potatoes hubby or the kids would really appreciate such things. J wants to eat by noon every day so when he leaves on his bicycle (what a good man, he is exercising WAY more than I am at this point!!) everything is well digested and doesn't threaten to come back up due to vigorous activity. But in order to have lunchsupperdinner on the table by noon, I have to get up long before that. "Sleep in and order a pizza," you say. Do you know what a pizza costs these days?? I could feed our family for two days for the same price as a pizza. Plus, since I am being so bare-my-soul, show-my-vulnerable-under-belly honest here, even if I did have the option to just sleep and sleep and not worry about waking up and taking care of anything or anyone, I CAN'T. Hours before I am ready to wake up and face the world, my brain turns back on with a sudden flip of a switch... Or mayabe in never shuts off... Thousands of thoughts race through my head... What I need to do, what I haven't done, what I should do, will this work out? Will that person be ok? Should I put my two cents in over here? Was that "two cents" too much? Am I doing this right? Did I screw that up completely? Now there has been a fatality where J works and so I have that much MORE swimming in my head.... How much will come down on him because he is party of the "safety commity"? How are they even handling walking back into the building?? When will the funeral and calling hours be? Will we be in town for them? And most of all, one I never gave TOO much thought to before, is he safe there??.... DEAR GOD, keep J safe at work today. PLEASE.

I am just SO TIRED. Every day I get myself out of bed and run through a little list in my head of all the things I would like to accomplish today.... And by the time I get down the hall and into the dining room, my ambition and motivation for any of it is gone. I'd love to throw everyone a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and go lock myself back in my room. But then I think I would be a shoe-in for bad-mom-and-wife-of-the-year award. Rest. I need rest, I think. Sleep I get every night. Probably not as much as I should, but I do sleep. I don't think I've been able to REST, though, in a while. And the conclusion I am coming to? Without that rest, I will eventually crash and crash hard, and that crash seems closer and closer with each passing day.

Meet Drumstick

2008-08-26T15:17:00.012-04:00

Yes, I said "Drumstick."

Yes, Drumstick is a CHICKEN.

Yes, I see the irony. The kids named her. Rumor has it that the ugliest/smallest chickens are usually the best layers. Here's hoping.....

Drumstick feels she is a member of the family. Perhaps after the kids named her, she realized the connotations of her name and decided she better integrate herself into our family a little more. I'll give you an example....

Thursday the kids were outside at the picnic table doing school. Drumstick hopped up on the bench next to T and watched for a couple minutes.

She then proceed to get in T's lap and "read" with her.

She wandered away for a couple minutes only to return to T and watch her put her hair up.

After spending a few more minutes with T, she wandered a couple feet over on the bench and perched next to JT and observed his "math class".

Drumstick loves all four of us and has no qualms about parking next to the dog, either. She is more than happy to follow us around, weaving in and around our legs, and is even happier to be CARRIED around.

Dear God, PLEASE don't let this chicken be a rooster in disguise and PLEASE make her the best layer we have. I don't think I would have the heart to eat her. Amen.

And God said...

2008-08-22T16:24:00.004-04:00

... let there be DIRT!

And a big hole to fit a house in. Hurray!!

Isn't it pretty?

We started with a hill, took a bulldozer, and removed a big chunk of hill.

Then we realized that not enough hill had been removed to fit a house - our bulldozer friend had to come back. So hurray for the new hole in the hill!! Lots of dirt to move now...

The kids said the piles made great play-things.

Too bad, so sad, the piles need to go. I think I'd rather have the house....

To my birthday girl:

2008-08-19T15:24:00.003-04:00

Well, T, another year has come and gone. I still clearly remember all the emotions I felt when we found out I was pregnant with you... Relief in knowing WHY I was eating french fries and cottage cheese and honestly thinking it was good; shock because my DOCTOR told me I wasn't pregnant... Shouldn't they know?? Panic, wondering what on earth I would do with two babies at once... Thank God your brother grew up some in those nine months. :) Fear, not know why your brother had been born so early and not knowing if I would go through the same thing with you... Would you make it?? But, T, stronger than any of those emotions was excitement and hope. I prayed every day for you, that you would be a happy, healthy, FULL TERM little GIRL.

The minute we laid eyes on you, daddy and I fell in love with you. You were so sweet and tiny, and most definitely mommy's girl!!! Now you are eight years old and you are daddy's little girl too. I wonder, when you are grown and out on your own, will you still consider yourself "daddy's little girl" like I do with my dad? Will you still love to spend time with mommy? Will your hair still go down to your pants? These are some of the questions I have had running through my head today. I watched you on your motorcycle in your new pink and black riding outfit, looking so girly, yet so confident on what some would consider a "boy's toy"... I was so proud of you!!! T, you are growing up into a fine young lady, and I love you and am so proud of you. Your smile lights up a room, and you can be a clown and a card with the best of them, but what I love most is your soft heart, your love for Jesus, and your joy in worshiping Him. We love you, Princess.

Great Start

2008-08-11T22:49:00.001-04:00

Well, we are "two" days into our second week of school. Yes, I know it is Monday. The first day of the work/school week. Yes, I still say we have made it through our second day of our second week of school. Successfully, too, I might add. Do I have trouble counting? No, I don't. But thanks for asking....

We live life on second shift. Which means we go to bed late. Like, wee hours of the morning, late. So do the kids... Well, not TOO "wee", but midnight is late enough for a ten and almost eight year old. We all sleep in. Then we get up, have lunchsupperdinner together as a family, and ship daddy off to work. Now we have two options: Start our school day then and there, or let the kids have a social life and play with their neighbor cousins. For some reason, the kids like the social life. Can't figure it out. So, we made a deal. Our school.... night.... starts at six o'clock. On. The. Dot. Except for today when poop hit the fan and chaos seemed to reign. But that is another story for another day. :)

I told little person #1 and little person #2 that I had no problem doing school in the evenings on ONE CONDITION. No matter how silly it seemed since our school schedule is, at least for now, permanently at a 6:00 pm start time, we MUST have that day's work done BEFORE we play. It is the principle of the matter. Work before play. Good ethics. So, while today was Monday, we technically did Tuesday's work.... And let me tell you, the littles are doing GREAT. Mommy is doing great...

...And mommy is totally ready to curl up on the couch with a hot cup of coffee, a fresh chocolate chip cookie and a fluff book. My brain is done.

Priceless

2008-07-29T00:01:00.005-04:00

Yearly dues for membership at F-town Volunteer Fire Department:

$5.00

Flippers, Mask and Snorkel set from KMart:

$30.00

Needing your newly purchased scuba gear to respond to a call for a car in the reservoir and finding out that said car was in said reservoir because the owner of the local porn shop was mad at the fire department so he drove his car to the reservoir to "drink some beers, look at the stars and cool off" and then accidentally put said car in drive instead of reverse *whew*:

PRICELESS

Clownin' Around (Wordless Wednesday Edition)

2008-07-23T12:52:00.003-04:00

They say the darndest things....

2008-07-22T11:27:00.003-04:00

Here is an excerpt from a conversation held recently on a trip to RCity:

Me: "***** is the only one that will be a stick in the mud about the idea. Otherwise, everyone will do it."

T: "Then maybe you guys should pull the stick out."

Hmm.... How does that work exactly?

How We Celebrate...

2008-07-01T10:45:00.006-04:00

So this weekend we went away....

Just the two of us....

And we met up with over a thousand (some say two...) other bikers and went on a ride... All. Day. Long. I did the search for all you curious folks and found a video of it... We usually hook up with a few friends we've made over the years... Our own "Hayabusa Club" of sorts. (One of them is at the front of the line...)

Santa even shows up!!

The ride always ends with a run down the airport runway...

Despite the tenderness I acquire, we always have a great time, and we've made it a tradition to start celebrating our anniversary with the Toys for Tots Ride.

Daddies

2008-06-16T20:32:00.003-04:00

In honor of Father's Day (I know, I know... I'm a day late....) I thought I would share a little peek into our lives (as if I don't do that on at least a weekly basis as it is).

I was making a cd for J to take to work to one of his coworkers, and T was having a hard time getting her chicken cut up. She kept persisting and asking me to please come cut it for her. I kept putting her off, asking her to wait... I had to get the cd's finished in the next couple minutes before J left. I looked up and saw J leaning over T, cutting her meat for her, and T looking up at her Daddy with stars in her eyes. It was a simple thing on his part, but just one of those moments that draws a tear to your eye because of the sweetness of what you are witnessing. What is it about little girls and their daddies? I know I think the world of mine...

CHICK FLAIL!!

2008-06-12T14:21:00.002-04:00

I PASSED!!! With flying colors, no less!! The state average is 83. I got a 93!!! Here it is:

Hypocritical maybe?

2008-06-11T00:08:00.003-04:00

Today I got a chance to see my friendly nearly neighbor and physician. I went in for a check-up and my HEP B vaccination. The nurse gave me the paperwork on it and I started reading:

Who should get hepatitis B vaccine and when?
Children and Adolescents
• All children .... blah blah blah, not me, don't care right now, skip that part....
• Children ... skip that one, too. The hot pink paper just didn't make it interesting enough to read that part...
• All unvaccinated adults at risk for HBV infection should be vaccinated. This includes:
- sex partners of people infected with HBV, (uh, no.)
- men who have sex with men, (eek! Number one, not a man. Number two, that is just so wrong.)
- people who inject street drugs, (nope, don't do drugs...)
- people with more than one sex partner, (at this point, I am REALLY starting to wonder why I just subjected myself to the sheer toture of a needle.....)
- people with chronic liver or kidney disease, (not me, healthy as a horse over here...)
- people with jobs that expose them to human blood, (OOOOOOHHHHHHHH, THERE I am..... ok, quit reading now.....)

Now I feel better.... I had a logical reason for putting myself through that... I guess. I hear it is mandatory for EMT's to get it done. Yay. So, I jumped into this field for WHAT reason? Wait, it will come back to me eventually...

Anyway, on to the hypocritical part: I was sitting in the exam room, already slightly nervous because I had more things to deal with at the doctor's than just the shots. And, honestly, I completely forgot I was getting them til I looked up and saw the little menacing vials sitting there on the counter, laughing at me. Really, they were. My nurse read through my paperwork and mentioned said laughing vials, sending me into a nervous twitch. She laughed and said perhaps a dose or two of Valium would be appropriate at this point, then proceeded to take my blood pressure. What good timing. What is hypocritical about any of this? you may ask..... Because, needles really do make me freak out. I start to shake, my palms get all sweaty, and at times I wonder if I will end up passing out.... Yet, on our rig, anytime the needles come out for drawing blood and starting IV's and the patient starts to panic, I calmly bend over them, gently place my hands on their face, tell them to just look in my eyes, and say, "it will all be ok. This is not a big deal. You can do this...." Meanwhile, if it was ME on that cot, I'd be heading for a full blown anxiety attack. I have one more shot in the series left... maybe I can do better on that one.

"Awesome!!

2008-06-05T23:42:00.005-04:00

My first black eye!!"

Yeah, that's how I looked at it too.... or not. My reaction was closer to: Oh. My. Gosh. WHAT. HAPPENED?! B was down at the neighbor/cousin's house playing "500" (no clue) and he got kneed in the eye by the resident girl teen/horse trainer of the family. Yikes. It already looks worse. This is what it looked like when he walked in the door:

Yeah. We'll see how it looks tomorrow.

All I Need is a Milk Cow

2008-06-05T02:05:00.006-04:00

...all I need is a pig (sung to the tune of "all I need is a miracle, all I need is you...") It's been stuck in my head for hours... ever since I thought of this post. So, I hope it gets stuck in your head, too. You're welcome.

On with the show:

We have a handful (more like a few handfuls) of new additions to our happy (and crazy) home. Meet:

the little chicks:

Thirteen of them to be exact.

And the big chicks:

Six of them.

And the pride and joy of T's life.... Scoob:

This is good. She needs something to mother. Really. She does.

I firmly believe that the only thing we are lacking to make "farm life" official is a milk cow and a pig. But I have drawn the line. We are NOT getting either one of them.